Smuggling Ring Busted in Nakhon Ratchasima Warehouse Raid
Customs officials raided a Nakhon Ratchasima warehouse on September 6, seizing over 10,000 contraband items including cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and fireworks worth 2 million baht from a smuggling network.
Customs and excise officials joined forces on September 6 to raid a warehouse in central Nakhon Ratchasima, dismantling a major smuggling operation. Prasit Deejongcharoen, chief of Chong Chom Customs, revealed that undercover officers had gathered intelligence on the smuggling network's distribution activities before coordinating with Nathatchapong Phaopang, director of Regional Excise Bureau 3, to launch a raid with over 40 personnel on Sueb Siri Road.
Officers seized contraband cigarettes, e-cigarettes, illegal liquor, and fireworks totaling over 10,000 items worth approximately 2 million baht. The suspect, identified as Nid, faces charges of tax evasion and unlicensed sale under the Customs Act of 2017, the Excise Act of 2017, and the Firearms Act of 1931. E-cigarettes are prohibited imports under a 2014 Commerce Ministry order.
The operation targeted criminal networks lacking social responsibility, including a 70-year-old woman who operated a fried chicken stand as a front while illegally selling e-cigarettes with non-standard batteries, and large quantities of fireworks concealed in residential areas. Officials warned that if an accident occurred—such as the Khlong Thom Center incident—it would cause severe damage to the public. The suspect and all seized goods have been forwarded for legal prosecution.
