A 41-year-old Israeli man has been arrested at a Chiang Mai condominium after Excise Department officers and police found 200 packs of allegedly untaxed foreign cigarettes, officials said.

The man, identified only as Mr A, was arrested at about 14:30 on Wednesday, 10 September 2026, at a condominium in Nong Hoi subdistrict, Muang district.

Parcel delivery led to arrest

Officers from the Excise Department's Regional Office 5 and Mae Ping Police Station seized 20 cartons containing the 200 packs of cigarettes.

According to officials, the operation began after a tip-off that a foreign national had ordered untaxed cigarettes for delivery by a private courier service.

Condominium staff were asked to alert the intended recipient when the parcel arrived. Officers then moved in and made the arrest, officials said.

Mr A allegedly admitted ordering the cigarettes. He told officers that the products were intended for his own use.

What this means for foreigners

The case is a reminder for foreign residents and visitors that tobacco bought or brought into Thailand can be subject to excise and customs rules, including when it is ordered for delivery rather than bought in person.

Officials described the cigarettes as foreign and untaxed. No further details on the charges or the next legal steps for Mr A were included in the police statement.

Enforcement involved excise officers and police

Thailand's Excise Department is responsible for overseeing excise-duty goods, while police may assist in investigations and arrests. In this case, the operation involved officers from the department's Regional Office 5, which covers Chiang Mai, together with Mae Ping Police Station.

Picture courtesy of Khaosod

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11 September 2026

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Post breaking forum rules removed @redwood1 rule 17.News articles are collected from recognised sources and may be consolidated or rewritten with AI assistance. Respectful discussion of the article content is welcome. Disrespectful comments about the articles, the use of AI, or the news team (e.g. “clickbait,” “slow news day,” mocking grammar, or AI taunts) are not permitted. Posts breaching this rule will be removed, and posting suspension or account closure may result

What, does Mr Ar** whole think he's living on the reservation?

Nobody ought to be selling cigarettes, let alone untaxed ones !

A fine, deportation and ban would be in order and it can't come soon enough.

💯%

Curious about the claim of the ciggies being for personal.

Looked this up and heavy smokers might smoke 2 packs a day so buying a 100 days supply doesn't really prove intention to sell, does it?

What about the seller? What's his name and nationality?

Deport this scumbag criminal.

Post breaking forum rules @Jingthing rule 17.News articles are collected from recognised sources and may be consolidated or rewritten with AI assistance. Respectful discussion of the article content is welcome. Disrespectful comments about the articles, the use of AI, or the news team (e.g. “clickbait,” “slow news day,” mocking grammar, or AI taunts) are not permitted. Posts breaching this rule will be removed, and posting suspension or account closure may result.

So many Jewish crime in Thailand threads.

Are they really this evil or does someone have an agenda?

At least it takes the spotlight off us Brits!

Edited 4 hours ago4 hr by BritManToo

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

Curious about the claim of the ciggies being for personal.

Looked this up and heavy smokers might smoke 2 packs a day so buying a 100 days supply doesn't really prove intention to sell, does it?

What about the seller? What's his name and nationality?

Two packs is nothing, my dad used to go through 4 packs a day, and anothor 2 packs for my mom.

5 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Two packs is nothing, my dad used to go through 4 packs a day, and anothor 2 packs for my mom.

The item is about them having untaxed packs so even if they were to bring them into the country themselves (Which they didn't) they would only be allowed 10 packs of 20, the guy was caught with 200 packs and is being done for having untaxed packs, no mention in the OP of them being done for selling.

I don't understand what happened here: If he ordered the cigarettes from a local supplier, then that supplier should have paid taxed on the import and if they didn't and are selling "untaxed" goods, then they should be fined, not the customer. If he ordered the cigarettes from overseas, then customs should have billed him for the tax. How does one order something "untaxed"?

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

Two packs is nothing, my dad used to go through 4 packs a day, and anothor 2 packs for my mom.

Second hand smoke effects obviously didn't affect you then #rhetorical

They can get it wholesale.

That's not a lot, I used to smoke 3 packs a day,

1 hour ago, SABloke said:

I don't understand what happened here: If he ordered the cigarettes from a local supplier, then that supplier should have paid taxed on the import and if they didn't and are selling "untaxed" goods, then they should be fined, not the customer. If he ordered the cigarettes from overseas, then customs should have billed him for the tax. How does one order something "untaxed"?

They could have come from over the boarder, It doesn't say what brand I'm guessing cheap cigs from Myanmar, Its the same on the southern boarders of Thailand, especially in Hat Yai you can buy under the counter stuff,

Just now, ChipButty said:

They could have come from over the boarder, It doesn't say what brand I'm guessing cheap cigs from Myanmar, Its the same on the southern boarders of Thailand, especially in Hat Yai you can buy under the counter stuff,

Sure, it's highly likely that they came across the border, but he didn't carry them across the border. He took possession in Thailand. Even in that case, the party that brought the stuff across the border is responsible for either A) paying the taxes or B) declaring the items to customs who would then bill the recipient for the tax before releasing the goods.

Well, I guess we will see how gung-ho they are about their deportation laws. We have no idea now what the rules are now. Would be nice if they posted a list of offenses that we could all see, so we know. Will vaping cause you to be deported or smoking in a no smoking area? It’s just not specified anywhere that I know of and if a cop or judge has a bad day can that change things? Too many variables in my opinion.

46 minutes ago, Palatus said:

Second hand smoke effects obviously didn't affect you then #rhetorical

Both dead by the time I finished university!

1 hour ago, SABloke said:

I don't understand what happened here: If he ordered the cigarettes from a local supplier, then that supplier should have paid taxed on the import and if they didn't and are selling "untaxed" goods, then they should be fined, not the customer. If he ordered the cigarettes from overseas, then customs should have billed him for the tax. How does one order something "untaxed"?

Almost every mom and pop store in Thailand is selling untaxed ciggies, and home made whiskey (in Red Bull/M150 bottles).

Entirely normal among the Thai population, nobody cares ..... until an evil Israeli is caught with some. I didn't even think buying it was considered a crime!

Aunties shed ........... up in Nan.

Edited 2 hours ago2 hr by BritManToo

On any given day Europeans smuggle in their cheese, sausages, tobacco, sexual devices and unauthorized medications.

Can't wait for these people to be stopped, prosecuted and deported too.

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4 hours ago, Woke to Sounds said:

What, does Mr Ar** whole think he's living on the reservation?

Nobody ought to be selling cigarettes, let alone untaxed ones !

A fine, deportation and ban would be in order and it can't come soon enough.

💯%

''deportation and ban would be in order and it can't come soon enough'' where are? in Iran?

why deportation only? fine and jail him for 10 years and than deport him,

If they were bringing in cigs you can't buy here that would make some sense, but if they were the black market ones from Cambodia or Myanmar just plain stupid, can buy all over.

Also you are allowed to bring in cheese and sausage and many other food products up to 10 kilo in total or something like that. I can't find the link now only the list I saved but look up Thailand fda and you can find it if interested.

4 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Curious about the claim of the ciggies being for personal.

Looked this up and heavy smokers might smoke 2 packs a day so buying a 100 days supply doesn't really prove intention to sell, does it?

What about the seller? What's his name and nationality?

Many years ago when I was a very heavy smoker and finding American cigarettes in Thailand was no east task (back then there was only one 7-11 in Thailand and they didn't sell foreign cigarettes) I was offered and bought 50 cartons. I never sold not even 1 packet. Smoked about 46 and a half cartons and then I gave up smoking. I kept the remaining 3 and a half cartons for another year, just in case I'd fall off the wagon, and then I gave them to a friend.

untaxed foreign cigarettes

Same everywhere, greedy taxman , if there was not such a high tax on cigarettes then it would not be worth buying untaxed foreign cigarettes

Myself non smoker, but all my Thai friends that do smoke buy them online

appears a carton of 200- most brands are 200 baht..... No idea what the local taxed ones cost but told over double that...

42 minutes ago, ignis said:

Same everywhere, greedy taxman , if there was not such a high tax on cigarettes then it would not be worth buying untaxed foreign cigarettes

Price of cigarettes has little to do with the "greedy taxman". The high taxes are promoted universally by health organizations such the USA Surgeon General to act as a smoking deterrent. Unfortunately smokers not only harm themselves but also cost the non-smokers in shared medical expenses. Smokers later in life will more than likely require more medical services for smoking related illnesses.

Another dumb, low-IQ foreigner trying to make a few baht on the side. Most probably started small and then got greedy.

7 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

20 cartons containing the 200 packs of cigarettes.

Duty-Free Limit: You can bring up to 200 cigarette.

Maybe he misunderstood "packs" vs individual cigarette. :-)

No way. Another blatant case of Anti-Semitism. May God forgive them and let me smoke my six pack with Rachel.