Two arrested as raid on houses yields fake ATKs and medical products
Police and officials from the Office of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) raided two houses in Nonthaburi and Nakhon Pathom provinces, arrested the house owners and seized fake Covid rapid antigen test kits (ATKs) and an assortment of fake medical products.
The results of the joint operations were announced at a press conference at the Consumer Protection Police Division (CPPD) by Central Investigation Bureau commissioner Pol Lt-General Jirapop Phuridet, CPPD commander Pol Maj-General Anan Nanasombat, Pol Colonel Neti Wongkularp, commander of CPPD Subdivision 4, and FDA secretary-general Paisarn Dunkum.
Jirapop said the CPPD police and FDA officials planned the operations after they received complaints that ATK kits, with fake FDA licences, were sold via Facebook pages.
Neti said police obtained a warrant from the Nakhon Pathom court to search a commercial building in Tambon Naraphirom of Nakhon Pathom’s Bang Len district and found that the place was used as a factory to make fake ATKs.
The owner of the building was arrested. She was identified as Anusara (surname withheld by police).
Neti said over 10,000 pieces of medical items in 14 categories were seized from the place, including ATKs of testsealabs gica, testsealabs nex, and zybio brands.
The seized items included fever thermometers and finger oxygen-measuring devices.
The suspect in the second raid was identified as Patchayaporn (surname withheld).
Neti said the suspects had been selling fake ATKs via their Facebook pages since April at 40 to 45 baht per kit.
Earlier, police agents bought the fake products from some shops near the alleged factory in Nakhon Pathom and the sellers implicated Anusara.
Neti said police were investigating for more information and evidence to try to arrest four more Chinese businessmen behind the factory making the fake medical items.
Neti said the Chinese businessmen sent the fake items in separate pieces for the factory in Nakhon Pathom to pack them in retail packages for sale.
Paisarn said the oxygen-measuring gadgets and ATK kits were medical tools under control and the distribution of fakes would case severe public risks as they would contribute to spreading the Covid virus.
He said if convicted, the suspects would face a maximum jail term of 10 years and a maximum fine of 1 million baht.