Customs Seizes 15,000 Counterfeit Cigarettes Worth 14.5 Million Baht
Customs officials seized 15,000 counterfeit cigarettes valued at 14.5 million baht at a Surin checkpoint, with most showing mold contamination from illegal transportation through Nakhon Ratchasima province.
On August 9, customs officials at Chom checkpoint in Surin, led by Prasit Deejongcharoen, seized 15,000 counterfeit cigarettes worth approximately 14.5 million baht that were discovered in Nakhon Ratchasima province during late July. The seized goods will be destroyed according to law, following coordination with postal authority officials Somkiat Kampila and Nawin Promchim, who jointly launched the "No Smoking This Month" operation to intercept contraband.
Prasit explained that the government prioritizes combating all types of smuggled goods to ensure fair taxation and protect public health from products that could cause long-term health and medical system costs. The customs chief emphasized that nearly all the seized cigarettes were counterfeit, and because of prolonged illegal transportation methods, most showed signs of mold contamination.
The operation, which intensified enforcement along high-risk smuggling routes, successfully prevented the distribution of over 15,000 cigarettes across three northeastern provinces. Prasit vowed to continue protecting residents from online cigarette smuggling fraud and pledged the customs department would pursue full investigations to identify and prosecute the smugglers in accordance with government policy.
