Picture courtesy of Khaosod.

 

The Customs Department has announced a crackdown on illegal goods, including e-cigarettes, foreign cigarettes and smuggled fuel, with a total estimated value exceeding 12.56 million baht. The seizures followed extensive surveillance and coordinated raids across multiple provinces during May 2025.

 

Mr. Phanthong Loikunlan, Advisor on Tax Development and Administration and spokesperson for the Customs Department, revealed that enforcement teams carried out inspections in warehouses, shops and border checkpoints as part of the department’s ongoing campaign against smuggling.

 

Seizures

 

1. E-Cigarettes and Accessories – Total Value: 7.43 Million Baht

 

• Songkhla Province: Customs Region 4 officials, together with Hat Yai Airport Customs, uncovered 22,136 pieces of e-cigarettes and accessories hidden in parcels at a private courier company. Estimated value: 6.93 million baht.

 

• Sungai Kolok Checkpoint: A patrol intercepted a suspicious vehicle at the border and found 1,646 e-cigarette units, worth approximately 400,000 baht.

 

• Chumphon Customs: A general freight truck was found transporting 552 e-cigarettes, valued at 102,400 baht.

 

2. Foreign Cigarettes – Total Value: 5.06 Million Baht

 

• Khlong Yai, Trat Province: The Investigation and Suppression Bureau, in cooperation with Khlong Yai Customs, seized 93,200 foreign cigarettes during a border patrol.

 

• Nong Khai Checkpoint: Officers discovered 15,200 cigarette in a private vehicle.

 

• Songkhla Province: Customs Region 4 and Hat Yai Airport Customs seized 972,000 foreign cigarettes from parcels.

 

• Unregistered Shop in Hat Yai: A further 8,360 were found in an illegal retail operation.

 

• Chumphon Customs: 10,800 were recovered from a freight truck.

 

3. Smuggled Fuel – Total Value: 74,020 Baht

 

• Khlong Hoi Khong District, Songkhla: Officials raided an unregistered warehouse suspected of housing untaxed goods. They found 1,000 litres of diesel in a large tank and 1,020 litres of petrol stored in 34 containers.

 

Ongoing Enforcement

 

According to the spokesperson, from the beginning of the 2025 fiscal year (1 October 2024 to 26 May 2025), Customs has seized:

 

• E-cigarettes and accessories: 1,066,042 items, valued at 111.63 million baht

 

• Cigarettes: 39,060,397, valued at 189.34 million baht

 

• Fuel: 179,655 litres, valued at 5.51 million baht

 

• Alcoholic beverages: 36,059 litres, valued at 8.62 million baht

 

The Customs Department reaffirmed its commitment to continue strict enforcement and suppression of smuggled goods in line with national anti-smuggling policy.

 

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from Khaosod 2025-05-29.

 

 

 

Coming to a market near you soon.... 😆 

15 hours ago, BritScot said:

Coming to a market near you soon.... 😆 

Yep - was does happen to all those goods after they are seized? 

Seems vaping is very popular.