Phuket –
In a late-night operation on Thursday (November 6th), Phuket provincial authorities raided an illegal vape shop allegedly selling electronic cigarettes to minors near a local school in Cherng Talay The crackdown followed public complaints and was carried out under the directive of Phuket Governor Saran Sak Srikruanet and senior provincial officials.
The Cherng Talay Police told the Phuket Express that they conducted the raid at a rental unit suspected of operating as an unauthorized vape retailer. The shop was located directly across from Cherng Talay Wittaya School, raising serious concerns about youth exposure to prohibited products.
Upon inspection, officials confirmed the sale of illegal vaping devices and detained one male suspect. Authorities seized 60 e-cigarette units and THB 6,520 in cash as evidence.
The suspect faces multiple charges under Thai law, including:
- Violations of Sections 242 and 246 of the Customs Act B.E. 2560 (2017) and the Ministry of Commerce’s 2014 directive on prohibited imports.
- Breaching Consumer Protection Board Order No. 9/2558, which bans the sale and distribution of baraku and electronic cigarettes.
The arrested individual and confiscated items were handed over to Cherng Talay Police Station for further legal proceedings.
Officials expressed their commitment to protecting youth from harmful substances and warned that similar enforcement actions would continue across the province.
