Police Bust Fake Cough Syrup Factory Worth ฿20 Million

Pictures courtesy of Amarin

Police have dismantled an illegal network producing fake cough syrup, seizing counterfeit medicines, machinery and raw materials valued at more than 20 million baht. The operation targeted four locations in Nakhon Si Thammarat province and resulted in the confiscation of more than 77,000 bottles of fake cough medicine, along with large quantities of packaging and production equipment.

The crackdown was led by the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) in cooperation with the Nakhon Si Thammarat Provincial Public Health Office. Authorities said the fake products had been circulating widely and were being misused by teenagers, including for mixing with kratom drinks to induce intoxication.

Police said the investigation followed reports on social media about the abuse of cough syrups and the suspected sale of counterfeit medicines to pharmacies and youth groups. Intelligence gathering revealed a coordinated network that sourced ingredients, packaging and labels from multiple locations before assembling and bottling the products at temporary warehouses to evade detection.

Search warrants were executed across four sites, including storage, packaging and production facilities in Phra Phrom district and Mueang Nakhon Si Thammarat district. Seized items included tens of thousands of bottles branded as Datissin, Diphenyl and Iwadil, more than 525,000 empty amber bottles, thousands of caps and labels, and industrial filling, capping and labelling machines.

Police said the group had previously been raided in the same area in 2022 but continued operating, frequently changing production sites. Investigators believe the network focused on supplying retail outlets and young consumers, prioritising profits over public safety.

CIB Commissioner Pol Lt Gen Natthasak Cheowanasaid said the operation was aimed at “cutting the cycle of youth intoxication” and dismantling the foundations of repeat offending networks. He warned that authorities would pursue offenders nationwide, regardless of attempts to relocate or conceal operations, and urged the public to report suspicious activity via the Consumer Protection Police hotline 1135.

Those involved face charges under the Drug Act 1967 for producing medicines without a licence, punishable by up to five years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to 10,000 baht, and for producing and selling counterfeit drugs, which carries penalties ranging from three years’ imprisonment to life, with fines between 10,000 and 50,000 baht.

Amarin reported that police said the seized evidence has been handed to investigators at Sub-Division 4 of the Consumer Protection Crime Suppression Division for further legal action, while efforts continue to identify additional suspects and distribution channels.

Key Takeaways

• Police seized more than 77,000 bottles of fake cough syrup worth over 20 million baht in Nakhon Si Thammarat.

• The network allegedly targeted pharmacies and youths, with products misused for intoxication.

• Suspects face serious drug law charges, including potential life imprisonment.

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 Adapted by Asean Now from Amarin 2026-01-02