The Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB) recently dispatched officials to conduct undercover inspections at shops suspected of selling e-cigarettes in Chonburi Province’s capital district, following reports of such products being concealed in a residence for distribution.
After securing a search warrant, police detained individuals linked to the operation and proceeded to a shop used for selling e-cigarettes and e-liquids across two premises. The raid resulted in the confiscation of 6,600 e-cigarettes and e-liquids, valued collectively at over 1.8 million baht. The vendor was arrested, and the seized items were transferred to local law enforcement for further proceedings.
Minister Attached to the Prime Minister’s Office Puangpetch Chunla-ead emphasized the government’s stringent measures against the illicit trade of e-cigarettes, highlighting their prevalent use among minors. She pointed out that such products are often sold onsite near schools and online, which exacerbates accessibility concerns for children and adolescents.
The government has rallied various agencies, including the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau, the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, the Ministry of Public Health, the Ministry of Interior, and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, to eliminate e-cigarette sales both in brick-and-mortar locations and online.
Minister Puangpetch also called on parents to vigilantly monitor their children to shield them from e-cigarette exposure, advising them to scrutinize their belongings and inform them about the detrimental effects of e-cigarettes on their health and development.
The clandestine sale of e-cigarettes and e-liquids is illegal. Witnesses to such sales are encouraged to report incidents to the OCPB via the 1166 hotline, the website “ocpb.go.th,” or Damrongtham centers located in each province. (NNT)
