Consumer Protection Police Division (CPPD) officers and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) personnel have raided four unlicensed herbal inhaler factories producing the popular ‘Hong Thai’ brand and seized over 2.3 million items worth more than 100 million baht.
A combined team of CPPD police and FDA officials searched four locations on Thursday allegedly used for manufacturing and storing herbal inhalers. The team was led by Pol Lt Gen Natthasak Chaowanasai, commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), and Pol Maj Gen Khongkrit Lertsitthikul, CPPD commander.
The operation targeted one house in Bangkok’s Bang Khae district and three factory sites in Krathum Baen district, Samut Sakhon province. The team seized 2,350,000 items of ‘Hong Thai’ brand herbal inhalers and menthol balm products, worth more than 100 million baht, from the four venues for further examination.
The raid followed an investigation into reports of microbial contamination found in herbal inhaler products under the same brand, posing potential health risks to consumers.
CPPD police gathered information and found evidence suggesting that the products might have been secretly manufactured at unauthorised locations, separate from the site registered with the FDA.
Preliminary findings indicated that the herbal inhalers were originally licensed for production at a facility in Bang Phai area of Bang Khae district. However, the manufacturer had since expanded operations to additional sites without FDA approval.
Police said the operators may face charges of producing and selling counterfeit herbal products and manufacturing herbal products without a licence.
All items have been confiscated as evidence, while investigators from the CPPD’s sub-division 4 would proceed with legal action against all those involved.