Police Bust Massive Counterfeit Cough Syrup Factory Across Thailand

On September 22, senior police officials ordered a raid on two illegal cough syrup factories in Na Khok Subdistrict, Muang District, Samut Sakhon Province. The first facility, a large single-story factory located in the middle of rice fields, housed nine workers—eight Myanmar nationals and one Laotian—who were filling bottles with counterfeit medicine. Officers seized production machinery, over 100 large tanks of liquid formula, and fake product labels and caps.

The second facility, located approximately 16 kilometers away, served as a mixing and preparation center. It contained around 10 large boiling pots, syrup, and over 200 storage tanks with capacity for approximately 100,000 bottles. Both locations operated as an integrated operation, from raw material mixing through production, bottling, labeling, and nationwide distribution.

The investigation began after N&N Pharmaceutical reported detecting counterfeit products in the southern region. Police tracked the operation and discovered a white pickup truck transporting raw materials and finished products. Two Myanmar nationals, aged 32 and 24, were apprehended while driving the vehicle. The driver claimed he was hired to transport goods, receiving 500 baht per trip, though investigators remain skeptical of his account.

Authorities estimate the counterfeiting operation had been running for one to two years. The fake medicine closely mimicked genuine products in taste, labeling, and bottle caps, though the sticker colors differed. Police also raided a residence in Bang Khun Thian and recovered approximately 40,000 bottles of counterfeit cough syrup hidden in a vehicle ready for delivery. The Food and Drug Administration joined the investigation and seized the evidence.