Bangkok – Authorities seized fake cosmetics worth more than 10 million baht after raiding a factory on Wednesday.
The Secretary-General of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Dr. Tares Krassanairawiwong, said FDA inspectors and officers from the Consumer Protection Police Division (CPPD) jointly raided the fake cosmetics factory, located in a housing estate in Khlong Sam Wa district of Bangkok.
Dr. Tares said the search turned up production equipment and ingredients used for producing cosmetics.
He said the FDA had earlier discovered that some cosmetics being sold at local markets contained banned substances, and some also claimed to have undergone clinical testing.
An investigation led to the raid on the factory, and the authorities found that the cosmetics produced by the factory contained illegal and harmful ingredients, such as lead, steroids, and hydroquinone.
More than 30 different cosmetic brands were found packed and labelled at the factory.
The CPPD Deputy Director, Pol. Col. Sithatchakate Kruwattanasate, said a man identified as Sakon Honghad, aged 37, who ran the factory, was arrested and admitted that he had produced fake cosmetics for about a year.
He was charged with producing fake and unsafe cosmetics, unregistered cosmetics, products with labels that failed to show complete information, and cosmetics with misleading labels, in violation of the Cosmetics Act.
Violators are liable for a jail term of no more than five years, a fine of no more than 500,000 baht, or both.
