Crime Customs Region4 Seizes Illegal Cigarettes, E-Cigarettes & Shisha

[Georgealbert]

 

Picture courtesy of Matichon.

 

Customs Region 4 has made another seizure as part of its ongoing crackdown on contraband, confiscating illicit cigarettes, e-cigarettes and shisha worth more than 3 million baht.

 

Mr Thanakrit Linthong, Director of Customs Region 4, announced that between 1 and 13 August, officers from the Customs Investigation and Suppression Bureau, in cooperation with the Special Operations Unit to enhance customs control and revenue collection, Hat Yai International Airport Customs House, Songkhla Customs House and the Songkhla Investigation and Suppression Division, carried out inspections at a private courier company in Songkhla Province.

 

The search uncovered 395,000 foreign cigarettes valued at 1,975,000 baht, 3,572 e-cigarettes and accessories worth 1,097,400 baht, and 15 kilograms of shisha valued at 15,000 baht. The total value of the seized goods was 3,087,400 baht. The cigarettes were unstamped, had been imported from abroad, and lacked documentation showing they had been legally brought into Thailand or passed through proper customs procedures.

 

E-cigarettes and shisha are prohibited items under a Ministry of Commerce regulation dated 12 December 2014, which bans their importation into Thailand due to concerns over public health, hygiene and social impact.

 

Authorities confirmed that the goods were subject to confiscation under Section 166 of the Customs Act B.E. 2560 (2017). The owners or possessors may face charges under Sections 242, 245, 246, and 247 of the Act. Officials, acting under Section 167, have impounded the items pending legal proceedings.

 

This latest operation underscores Customs Region 4’s ongoing commitment to tackling smuggling and protecting public welfare.

 

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from Matichon 2025-08-16