Authorities Wednesday raided four warehouses in Nakhon Ratchasima's Muang district and seized fake dietary supplements under the brand name Asia Slim and fake Paura cosmetic products worth over two million baht.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Royal Thai Police (RTP) officials on the raids said no suspects were present during the searches.
The officials confiscated 4,100 packets of fake Asia Slim dietary supplements and 3,700 fake Paura cosmetics products.
FDA secretary-general Dr Wanchai Sattayawuthipong Wednesday said the FDA had found a concentration of sibutramine in Asia Slim products, which is a prohibited chemical in supplementary food. It is categorised as psychotropic substance Type I, which carries a stiff penalty.
"Anyone selling products containing sibutramine will face a jail term of between 4 and 20 years, or a fine of between 400,000 and 2 million baht or both," Dr Wanchai said.
Sibutramine has become a major concern for the FDA and the RTP after learning four consumers died after taking Lyn slimming food supplements that contained sibutramine.
Dr Wanchai said his team also found skincare products under the Paura brand name in packaging containing the words "extra white", a banned term to describe skincare products under FDA rules.
The packets were also missing the FDA's registration code.
Further inquiries will be conducted to those involved in manufacturing, storing and selling these two types of products.
Meanwhile, police in Bangkok Wednesday summonsed the last group of 22 celebrities who endorsed Magic Skin cosmetics for questioning between June 14 and 16.
Actor and game show host, Kan Kantathavorn and Putthichai Kasetsin, or DJ Put, Wednesday reported to police to give statements about why they endorsed the products.
The pair said that they thought the products were FDA accredited.
The police said further investigations are needed before deciding whether to press charges.
