A warehouse raid in Bangkok’s Lat Krabang district seeking illegal dietary supplements, cosmetics and herbal products seized nearly 15,000 items worth more than 2 million baht on Friday.
A combined team of police and officials from the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), the Consumer Protection Police Division (CPPD)’s sub-division 5 and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) carried out the operation.
The search followed an investigation by the FDA into health products sold on online platforms. Authorities identified a supplement branded VTEAY Magnesium Glycinate + Zinc that falsely displayed an FDA registration number belonging to another product in order to mislead consumers. It was an extension of a prior mission that searched a warehouse in Min Buri on May 21.
The raid collected 14,939 items, including dietary supplements, costmetics and herbal products with an estimated value exceeding 2 million baht.
Investigators found that the warehouse in Lat Krabang had been rented by a Chinese national who allegedly advertised and sold counterfeit products through online platforms. The products were reportedly smuggled into Thailand from abroad and were being stored at the warehouse pending customer orders.
According to investigators, orders were packed and shipped to customers across Thailand, with sales estimated at around 3,000 items per day. The operation is believed to have been running for about one year.
Initial examination of the VTEAY Magnesium Glycinate + Zinc supplement found that its label claimed to contain 600 milligrams of magnesium, exceeding the legally permitted maximum daily intake of 350 milligrams. As a result, the product was deemed to fall under the legal definition of a drug under the Drug Act.
Authorities said those involved could face multiple charges under the Drug Act, Cosmetics Act and Herbal Products Act, including selling medicinal goods without a licence, selling unregistered drugs, distributing unregistered cosmetics, selling products without Thai-language labels and selling unregistered herbal products without proper authorisation.
FDA Secretary-General Supatra Boonserm said the FDA continues to prioritise monitoring and tackling the sale of unlawful health products through online platforms.
She added that the case began after officials detected the misuse of another product's FDA registration number in online advertisements.
Investigators also found that the seller had allegedly forged product authorisation documents and used them to establish an "official store" on online marketplaces in order to enhance credibility. The FDA has since coordinated with the platforms to shut down the associated stores.
CIB commissioner Pol Lt Gen Natthasak Chaowanasai warned that while online shopping offers convenience, it also creates opportunities for criminal networks and transnational operators to distribute counterfeit and substandard products.
He said products lacking registration, Thai-language labeling, or displaying another company's FDA registration number pose a significant risk of having been manufactured under substandard conditions or containing excessive levels of potentially harmful substances.
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