Thailand's Crackdown on E-Cigarettes Nets 1.9 Billion Baht in Seizures

[snoop1130]

Photo courtesy of Bangkok Post

 

Over the past six months, the Royal Thai Police have conducted an extensive crackdown on money laundering linked to e-cigarettes and laughing gas, resulting in the arrest of more than 2,300 individuals and asset seizures totalling over 1.9 billion baht. This effort is spearheaded by Deputy National Police Chief Prachuap Wongsuk, the director of the Anti-Money Laundering Centre.

 

From October 1 to March 31, the Centre tackled 252 money laundering cases, with significant confiscations of high-value assets. In the specific fight against illegal e-cigarettes, police have apprehended around 2,337 suspects and seized over 1.6 million vaping products worth more than 296 million baht.

 

Several investigations revealed substantial financial networks tied to these activities, leading to asset seizures valued at over 202 million baht. This crackdown aligns with the Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra administration’s broader initiative to tackle the e-cigarette problem by targeting not only the products but also the offenders' financial assets.

 

 

 

The Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) supports prosecuting e-cigarette-related offences under the Customs Act and the Anti-Money Laundering Act, enabling both criminal charges and the seizure of assets.

 

All relevant agencies are urged to work closely with AMLO, particularly in controlling e-cigarette distribution through schools, warehouses, and online platforms. Efforts also include collaboration with the Customs Department to curb the smuggling of these goods.

 

Deputy Prachuap Wongsuk called for intensified police efforts to eliminate the illegal importation and distribution of e-cigarettes and nitrous oxide, highlighting the public health disturbances caused by their widespread use, especially among young people. These steps are deemed essential in mitigating the adverse effects on both users and the wider community, reported The Thaiger.

 

-- 2025-04-10

 

 

[flyingtlger]

11 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Deputy Prachuap Wongsuk called for intensified police efforts to eliminate the illegal importation and distribution of e-cigarettes and nitrous oxide

Good luck with that. They stop one operation and another will pop up to fill the void......

 

[dinsdale]

3 hours ago, flyingtlger said:

Good luck with that. They stop one operation and another will pop up to fill the void......

 

Not this time. The vaping market has been closed down. I would love to see a graph of cigarette sales in Thailand. My guess is there's been a huge spike since the close down. People forced to purchase a far more dangerous product.