Customs Seizes Smuggled Matcha Powder at Suvarnabhumi Airport
Thai customs at Suvarnabhumi Airport arrested two women smuggling 1,200 packages of matcha powder from Japan worth over 850,000 baht. The contraband was hidden in seven suitcases and both suspects face prosecution. Authorities remind importers that green tea products require FDA and plant quarantine permits, and undeclared shipments can incur a 90 percent tariff.
Customs officers at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Samut Prakan arrested two Thai women who had flown in from Tokyo, Japan, after finding matcha powder concealed in seven pieces of luggage totaling 1,200 packages valued at more than 853,400 baht. Officials confiscated all the goods and transferred both suspects to investigators for legal action. Importing green tea or matcha requires advance permits from two key agencies: the Food and Drug Administration under the Food Act, and the Plant Quarantine Division of the Department of Agriculture to verify plant product import conditions. Under WTO agreements, in-quota imports with a foreign trade department certificate incur a 30 percent duty, while out-of-quota shipments face a 90 percent tariff. The Customs Department advises importers to verify all requirements, prepare documentation including certificates, and declare goods accurately to comply with customs procedures.
