Police seize 8m baht of imported Japanese goods

Thai consumer protection police have seized 83,483 Japanese-imported products worth more than 8.348 million baht from a warehouse in Bang Phli, Samut Prakan, which was allegedly preparing them for sale through online platforms.

The raid on 13 August followed complaints about cosmetics, food supplements, tonics and household hazardous substances being sold online without Thai-language labels.

Major General Kongkrit Lertsitthikun, commander of the Consumer Protection Police Division (CPPD), ordered the operation. Colonel Weeraphong Klaythong, superintendent of CPPD Division 4, and Lieutenant Colonel Anusara Buadaeng led officers in searching the warehouse.

Police said they confiscated 116 product types, including cosmetics, supplements and medicinal tonics, which had allegedly been imported from Japan without passing checks or receiving certification from relevant authorities.

Warehouse allegedly supplied online sellers

Investigators said the goods were stored at the Bang Phli site before being distributed to shops operating on online platforms.

The warehouse had originally been used to hold imported products, police said. It later began offering storage and packing services to several businesses, preparing parcels for customers who ordered online.

According to the investigation, the operation handled sales of between 200 and 300 items a day. It charged 10 to 12 baht per box for packing and had operated in this way for more than four years.

Police said the products could pose risks to consumers because they had entered Thailand without official inspection or approval. The seized items have been sent to investigators at CPPD Division 4 while action is pursued against those involved.

What online buyers should note

For foreigners living in or visiting Thailand, the case is a reminder that products sold through Thai online marketplaces may not always have entered the country through approved channels, even if they are marketed as imports from familiar countries.

Thai-language labelling is an important consumer safeguard, providing locally required product information. Shoppers buying cosmetics, supplements or medicines online should be cautious of goods without Thai labels, particularly where sellers cannot clearly show their origin or local compliance.

Those involved could face action under Thailand's Cosmetics Act, Hazardous Substances Act, Food Act and Drug Act, police said.

Pictures courtesy of Khaosod

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14 August 2026