Crime Authorities Raid Fake Cough Syrup Factories Across Four Provinces

[Georgealbert]

 

Picture courtesy of Khaosod.

 

A coordinated crackdown by Thailand’s Consumer Protection Police Division (CPPD) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has led to the dismantling of five illegal drug production sites manufacturing counterfeit cough syrups, with a total estimated value of more than 22 million baht.

 

At a press conference held on 20 June, at the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), Police Major General Phatthanasak Bubphasuwan, commander of the CPPD, joined Dr. Lertchai Lertwut, Deputy Secretary-General of the FDA, and Ministry of Public Health spokesperson Ms. Treechada Srithada to announce the operation’s success.

 

The raids targeted five sites across four provinces: Samut Prakan, Saraburi, Nonthaburi, and Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya. Authorities seized over 92,000 bottles of fake products labelled “Datisin” and “ALLERGIN SYRUP,” as well as counterfeit raspberry-flavoured syrup marketed as a food product. In addition, more than 295,000 counterfeit labels and vast quantities of raw materials and equipment were confiscated.

 

The counterfeit medicines were being misused by young people to mix with kratom-infused drinks, commonly known in Thailand as “4x100,” a dangerous concoction with narcotic-like effects. Authorities fear that such abuse could serve as a gateway to more serious drug use.

 

On 11 June, police searched two warehouses in Samut Prakan’s Mueang District. One was used to boil the syrup, while the other served as a packaging site. Both were capable of producing up to 20,000 bottles of fake syrup per day, generating an estimated daily revenue of 1 million baht.

 

Further raids were conducted on 12 June in Saraburi’s Chalerm Phrakiat District, where a house was discovered producing similar volumes and in Nonthaburi’s Mueang District, where raw materials were stored. The final raid, on 13 June, was carried out in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya’s Wang Noi District, at another storage facility.

 

Investigators revealed that the counterfeit operation employed migrant workers and frequently changed locations to avoid detection. Raw ingredients and packaging were transported between sites before the final products were bottled and distributed across multiple provinces, including Samut Sakhon, Nakhon Pathom, and surrounding areas.

 

Despite earlier raids in August 2024 and January and April of this year, the same networks continued to operate in violation of safety standards and pharmaceutical regulations.

 

Spokesperson Ms. Treechada emphasised the ministry’s zero-tolerance approach to illicit pharmaceuticals, stating that action must begin at the source to prevent youth addiction and broader societal harm. She noted that some pharmacies and unauthorised drug sellers had been caught supplying these fake cough syrups for recreational abuse.

 

Dr. Lertchai warned the public against misusing antihistamines and cough medicines in mixtures like 4x100. He stressed that products from these illegal facilities did not meet Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards and posed serious health risks, including contamination.

 

To combat misuse, the FDA has introduced strict controls over the import, production and sale of high-risk pharmaceuticals. Violators face stiff penalties including imprisonment and heavy fines.

 

The CPPD confirmed that the seized operations violated multiple laws:

 

• Drug Act B.E. 2510 (1967):

• Producing and selling drugs without authorisation: Up to 5 years’ imprisonment and/or a 10,000 baht fine.

• Producing and selling counterfeit drugs: 3 years to life imprisonment and/or fines from 10,000 to 50,000 baht.

 

• Food Act B.E. 2522 (1979):

• Producing and selling counterfeit food: 6 months to 10 years’ imprisonment and/or fines from 5,000 to 100,000 baht.

• Selling impure food products: Up to 2 years’ imprisonment and/or a 20,000 baht fine.

 

Police have urged the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious drug activity via the CPPD consumer hotline 1135 or the “CPPD Consumer Alert” Facebook page. Investigations are ongoing to identify further individuals involved in the counterfeit drug network.

 

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Khoasod 2025-06-21

 

 

[JimHuaHin]

Let me guess, Chinese owned and controlled?