Police and FDA Shutdown Illegal Medical Equipment Factory Producing Alcohol-Soaked Cotton

[Georgealbert]

 

Picture courtesy of CPD

 

It was announced on 10 February, that a joint operation between the Thai Police’s Consumer Protection Division (C.P.D.) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has led to the dismantling of an illegal factory producing medical supplies, including alcohol-soaked cotton for hospitals. The authorities seized goods worth over 2 million baht.

 

The operation, which took place at the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), was announced by Colonel Phattanask S. Buppasuwan, Acting Chief of C.P.D., and Colonel Veeraphong Klaithong, Head of C.P.D. Unit 4, alongside Lertchai Lertwuth, the FDA Deputy Secretary-General. The factory, located in Nonthaburi province, was manufacturing illegal medical supplies, including alcohol-soaked cotton with 70% ethyl alcohol under the brand name “Dara Plus”, which had been falsely registered with the FDA as an imported product.

 

An investigation by authorities revealed that the products were being illicitly produced locally in a warehouse in the Pak Kret district of Nonthaburi. If these products were used in hospitals, they could compromise the sterilisation of medical instruments, leading to potential infections, putting patients at risk.

 

On January 31st, police, with FDA officials, executed a search warrant and discovered the illegal production in progress. The seized items included 22 products with a total value of over 2 million baht, which were subsequently handed over to police investigators.

 

The seized products included:

 

• 2,830 packs of Dara Plus 70% alcohol-soaked cotton.

• 6,400 pieces of Cheddy-brand 70% alcohol-soaked cotton.

• Raw materials such as 89 bags of dry cotton and 5 gallons of alcohol (18 litres and 5 ml sizes).

• Equipment such as alcohol mixing machines, cotton-soaking machinery, and sealing devices.

• Over 47,500 packaging boxes and labels.

 

Authorities confirmed that the factory was operating without approval from the FDA or the Provincial Public Health Office, thus producing counterfeit medical equipment. The products, which claimed to contain 70% ethyl alcohol, were found to be diluted with water to cut production costs. This poses significant risks to the effectiveness of sterilisation.

 

During the search, 10 suspects were arrested and interrogated, with investigations continuing into the masterminds behind the operation. The FDA will send samples of the seized products to the Department of Medical Sciences for further testing. If contamination or substandard quality is detected, additional charges will be filed.

 

The illegal goods had been distributed to over 12 hospitals and medical facilities across the country between October 2024 and January 2025, amounting to over 88,000 packs.

 

The action was in violation of the Medical Device Act 2007, including failure to register the manufacturing facility and the production of counterfeit medical devices. The FDA thanked the C.P.D. for their thorough investigation.

 

-- 2025-02-11