13-6-2024 (BANGKOK) In a major crackdown on a counterfeit powdered milk racket, Thai authorities have seized a staggering 18 million baht worth of illicit products smuggled from Vietnam and arrested six migrant workers employed at a warehouse in Samut Prakan. The joint operation, carried out by the Consumer Protection Police Division (CPPD) and officials from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has dealt a significant blow to the illegal distribution network.
During the raid on the warehouse located in the Bang Khru sub-district of Phra Pradaeng district, officers confiscated a staggering 41 items of evidence, including approximately 20,000 cans of counterfeit powdered milk and various food supplement products. Pol Maj Gen Witthaya Sriprasertparb, the CPPD commander, provided details of the operation during a media briefing on Thursday.
The investigation was triggered by the FDA’s discovery of a website advertising powdered milk products with exaggerated claims, falsely asserting that the products were certified by the U.S. FDA and touted as the best-selling brand in New Zealand. These advertisements were extensively circulated across multiple social media platforms, prompting the authorities to take swift action.
Through meticulous investigations, the authorities traced the storage location of the illicit goods to a warehouse in Phra Pradaeng. Upon raiding the premises, they uncovered a staggering cache of counterfeit items, including 12,625 cans of powdered milk from eight different brands, 1,776 supplement products intended for children, 3,660 items of unregistered medicines, and 95 vitamin products.
The raid also led to the arrest of six migrant workers from Laos and Myanmar, who were caught red-handed packing the products. All six individuals have been charged with colluding in the sale of unregistered products and working without valid work permits.
According to Pol Col Veeraphong Khlaithong, superintendent of the CPPD sub-division 4, the smuggling operation was orchestrated by Vietnamese nationals who rented buildings in Thailand to serve as storage facilities for the illicit goods before selling them online.
“Interested people are required to fill out their names, addresses, and phone numbers on the website,” Veeraphong explained. “Sellers then contact the potential buyers by phone to convince them of the properties of the products and persuade them to buy more.”
The modus operandi involved a follow-up strategy, where buyers would be contacted two to three weeks after receiving their initial orders. Sales staff would inquire about the results of using the products and subsequently offer additional items for sale. The operation was significant, with an estimated 3,000 to 6,000 purchase orders being placed monthly.
The counterfeit powdered milk and supplement products were sold at exorbitant prices, ranging from 1,090 to 1,190 baht per can, exploiting unsuspecting consumers.
Investigators revealed that the Vietnamese masterminds behind the operation visited Thailand once a month to oversee the operation. They remained vigilant, closely monitoring warnings from Thai authorities regarding uncertified powdered milk products. If they suspected impending inspections, they swiftly relocated their products to alternative storage sites to evade legal action.
