FDA seizes ฿30m worth of illegal weight-loss products, food supplements

0
2372

Bangkok – A large amount of weight-loss products and food supplements containing the banned additive, sibutramine, were seized during raids on four premises in Bangkok and neighboring provinces on Wednesday.

The acting Secretary-General of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Dr. Thares Karasnairaviwong, said the seized products had false FDA labels of approval. They were impounded during police raids in Bangkok, Pathum Thani, and Ayutthaya.

Pimpen Healthcare Inter Co., Ltd. in Lam Luk Ka district, Pathum Thani province, was one of the four places raided.

FDA officials together with a task force from the Consumer Protection Police Division (CPPD) raided a house in Ayutthaya, and seized unapproved food supplements and weight-loss products of seven brands, including Tabongpet, Like Slim Yogurt by Idol, Hipo Slim Detox Gold, Like Slim Coffee, Sliming Diet Raspberry Plus, Black Gold Slim, and Like Slim Apple by Idol.

At a house on Lat Phrao Road in Phlapphla Chai district, Bangkok, officers seized four more similar products with false FDA labels, namely Idol Slim Apple, Tabongpet Coffee, Hippo Slim Detox, and BK Size Coffee.

Police also searched Lan Nam Hom shop on Soi Wutthakat 9 in Don Muang, Bangkok, and confiscated slimming products labeled Idol Slim Coffee and food supplements with false FDA labels.

Dr. Thares said the products seized from the four places retailed at over 30 million baht in total.

Legal action would be taken against both the owners and manufacturers of these products. False FDA labelling carries a fine of up to 30,000 baht. The offence of selling unapproved food products is liable to a jail term of six months to 10 years or a fine of 5,000 to 100,000 baht. Producing products containing harmful chemicals carries a jail term of up to two years or a fine of 20,000 baht, or both.