Illegal Cat Medicine Factory Shut Down; Counterfeit Drugs Mixed to Increase Volume for FIP Treatment
Authorities shut down an illegal animal medicine factory in Samut Prakan Province that was diluting and counterfeiting FIP treatment drugs with water and flour while operating under a fake feed business license.
On May 16, 2025, Deputy Police Commander Kongkrit Lertsitkul ordered an inspection team led by Police Captain Weerapong Khlai Thong and Police Major Surasee Kongthap, along with officials from the Department of Animal Husbandry and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), to execute a search warrant from the Samut Prakan Provincial Court. They raided a factory in Bang Muang Subdistrict, Muang District, Samut Prakan Province, following reports of illegal animal medicine production and sales through online platforms.
Investigators discovered the company was registered as an animal feed wholesale business but illegally imported antiviral medications for treating Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) without authorization. The company manufactured and distributed these drugs under the guise of GS-441524 antiviral medicine through multiple online channels. During the raid, a 35-year-old man named Songphan (surname withheld) identified himself as the facility owner.
Authorities seized unregistered "Emune" medicine products in 20ml, 30ml, and 40ml bottles—83 packaged units and 117 unpackaged units. They also confiscated manufacturing equipment including pill pressing machines, vial sealing devices, pill counting trays, hot air blowers, chemical compounds, and packaging materials: 550 empty bottles, 740 bottle caps, and 4,690 labels and boxes. Total seized assets exceeded 1 million baht.
Investigation revealed the operation not only sold illegally imported animal medicines but also reduced costs by diluting imported liquid medicines with water and mixing pill formulations with flour before re-pressing, significantly multiplying profit margins while disregarding pet safety. Officials noted the medicines underwent no quality or safety inspections, potentially containing harmful ingredients with no clear active drug dosage controls, rendering treatments ineffective. Production facilities lacked proper sanitation, posing serious risks to household pets.
Initial charges filed under the Medicines Act include: manufacturing, selling, or importing medicine without authorization (up to 5 years imprisonment and 10,000 baht fine); manufacturing or selling unregistered medicines (up to 3 years imprisonment or 5,000 baht fine); and unauthorized medicine advertising (up to 100,000 baht fine). Further legal proceedings are pending.
