Police from the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have raided shops selling laughing gas balloons on Khaosan Road, a popular tourist area in Bangkok.
During the raids on Friday, 19 suspects were arrested, 16 of whom were from Myanmar, 2 from Cambodia, and 1 from Laos.
The suspects were charged with three offenses including producing and selling drugs without a license, being foreigners, and working without a work permit or outside the scope of their permitted work.
Evidence seized included nine items such as balloons filled with nitrous oxide, advertising signs for balloons filled with nitrous oxide, and used nitrous oxide canisters, among others.
This is the second raid of its kind on Khaosan Road in recent months. In February, police arrested 13 people and seized over 1 million baht worth of laughing gas balloons.
Following the crackdown, the police continued to monitor Khaosan Road for the illegal sale of laughing gas balloons. They discovered that local shop operators have adapted their methods to evade detection at the shops by using foreign workers to hold advertisements for laughing gas balloons along Khaosan Road, showing no fear of the law.
Authorities are warning tourists to avoid using laughing gas, as it can be dangerous if inhaled in large quantities. Symptoms of nitrous oxide overdose include nausea, dizziness, and loss of control of breathing. In severe cases, it can be fatal. (TNA)
