BANGKOK, Thailand – Thailand’s Consumer Protection Police (CPPD) have seized 52,495 counterfeit cosmetic products worth more than THB 6 million from two warehouses in Bang Phli district, Samut Prakan, following an investigation into the online sale of fake Thai and international brands.
Officers from the CPPD searched the two warehouses under search warrants issued by the Samut Prakan Kwaeng Court after learning that counterfeit cosmetics were being sold online at unusually low prices. At the first location, officers found 92 types of cosmetics, totaling 11,511 items, with an estimated value of around THB 2 million. At the second warehouse, they seized 25 types totaling 40,984 items, valued at approximately THB 4 million. The combined seizure comprised 117 types and 52,495 items, with total damages estimated at more than THB 6 million.
Investigators found that both warehouses operated in a similar manner. Products were imported from overseas and stored in warehouses, with storage locations and shipping addresses changed periodically to avoid detection and facilitate distribution. The operation reportedly involved online stores advertising and taking orders, with an overseas-based operator sending order details to warehouse staff in Thailand, who packed and shipped the products to customers.
Authorities said the seized products were mainly cosmetics intended for use on the face and body. Counterfeit products may fail to deliver the expected results and could cause allergic reactions or other health problems, while some may contain harmful substances. The operation is initially being treated as a violation of Thailand’s Cosmetics Act involving the sale of counterfeit cosmetics. The offence carries a maximum penalty of three months’ imprisonment and a fine of up to THB 30,000, or both.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Natthasak Chaowanasai, Commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau, said the warehouse searches were aimed at disrupting the distribution of substandard and counterfeit products before they reached consumers. He urged the public to be particularly cautious when buying unusually cheap cosmetics online, recommending purchases from official stores or verified distributors and careful checks of packaging and product registration numbers.
