Police Seize Smuggled Cigarettes Worth Over 2.2 Million Baht
Police in Prachuap Khiri Khan seized smuggled cigarettes and other goods worth over 2.2 million baht during a checkpoint operation on Phetkasem Road. The seizure is part of a broader crackdown that has confiscated nearly 40 million baht worth of illegal items since September. Officials say smugglers have shifted to using small parcels via private couriers to avoid detection.
On 16 October 2069, officials from multiple agencies established a security checkpoint on Phetkasem Road near the Huai Yang checkpoint in Thap Sakae District, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, as part of Operation Protect Prachuap Khiri Khan. They stopped a target transport vehicle and discovered numerous untaxed items: 9,650 packs of foreign cigarettes (193,000 cigarettes) valued at 2,180,900 baht; 63 e‑cigarettes worth 25,200 baht; 19 boxes of dates (5 kg each) worth 9,500 baht; 8 small boxes of dates (500 g each) worth 800 baht; one packet of foreign tea worth 120 baht; three packets of tapioca flour worth 336 baht; twelve packets of foreign crackers worth 720 baht; 48 cans of foreign cereal worth 1,920 baht; and two bottles of foreign liquor worth 2,400 baht. The combined tax value of the seized goods amounted to 2,221,896 baht, with no customs clearance documentation found.
From 1 September to 16 October 2069, the operation resulted in 19 cases, leading to the seizure of 17,259 sticks (3,451,800 cigarettes) of foreign cigarettes worth 39,438,713 baht, 502 e‑cigarettes and liquid cartridges worth 260,357.40 baht, 12 bottles of foreign liquor worth 9,400 baht, and 23 counterfeit brand bags worth 132,894 baht. The total value of confiscated items and associated taxes reached approximately 39,937,507.60 baht.
The violations are subject to the Customs Act B.E. 2560 and the Excise Tax Act B.E. 2560, among other regulations. Authorities have confiscated all items and will pursue legal action while expanding investigations into the smuggling network.
Natithiphong Khamphuy, chief of Prachuap Khiri Khan customs, explained that after meeting with local security agencies, officials discovered that the smuggling ring had changed tactics. Instead of large truck shipments, they now use an "express war" strategy, distributing hundreds of parcels via private courier services. They conceal sender and receiver information using fake names or mule accounts, label parcels as everyday goods such as auto parts or household items, and send them from southern border distribution centers to sorting hubs where they mix with legitimate parcels before rapid nationwide delivery within 24 to 48 hours. The group also operates through closed online platforms and social media, with clearly divided roles among financiers, warehouse keepers, packing teams, and dispatch coordinators, making detection difficult without accurate intelligence.
