The final suspect in the Magic Skin cosmetics and weight loss products scandal surrendered to police on Wednesday, bringing the number of people acknowledging charges to eight.
Crime Suppression Division commander Maitree Chimcherd said Ms Thananpan Bunyosit turned herself in to Crime Suppression Division police to hear charges.
Ms Thananpan declined to answer reporters’ questions when she arrived at the CSD office. Her lawyer said his client denied all charges and would testify only before a court.
The woman was among eight people suspected of involvement in the production and supply of unlicensed products by Magic Skin Co.
The seven other suspects - Ms Wannapa Puangson, Mr Korn Puangson, Mr Kasin Wonchingtan, Mr Maiyasit Sawangtham, Mr Piniti Tiranawattuporn, Ms Treechada Chaisabai and Ms Maturot Daengsamrit - earlier reported to CSD police. Ms Maturot, the seventh suspect, surrendered on Tuesday and was later released on bail after placing 400,000 baht as a surety.
Pol Maj Gen Maitree said police investigators would consider granting or opposing bail to the last suspect after interrogating her.
He said the CSD has also collected evidence implicating several celebrities involved in Magic Skin “product review’’ advertisements, and would coordinate with the Office of the Consumer Protection Board to determine whether their actions constituted an offence.
The investigators were awaiting an order from deputy national police chief Wirachai Songmetta, said the CSD chief.
On Tuesday, police said the first group of seven celebrities would be summonsed for questioning over their involvement in cosmetic and weight loss products by Magic Skin Co.
The move came after police on Sunday raided a factory in Pathum Thani's Klong Luang district. The factory was allegedly linked to the eight suspects and the sales of products with the brand names Apple Slim, Slim Milk, Snow Milk, Fern, Magic Skin, Shinoshi, Treechada and Mezzo.
Each of these products carried either a fake FDA certificate or the wrong certificate.
In a related development, Pol Maj Gen Angkul Khlaikhlueng, chief of the Tourist Police Bureau’s sub-division 3, on Wednesday searched a house at Passorn housing estate in Nonthaburi’s Bang Yai district following a raid on a cosmetics factory in Samut Sakhon.
The officers found no cosmetics production equipment or any products related to Magic Skin Co in the house. Only documents bearing stamps of other firms were found, said Pol Maj Gen Angkul.
People in the house denied any knowledge about those documents, but police believed they might be linked to Magic Skin Co.
The raid came after a joint force of police and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) agents raided POS Cosmetics (Thailand), a cosmetics manufacturer in Krathum Baen district, Samut Sakhon on Tuesday.
The company was among five firms which allegedly made products for Magic Skin Co.
