Police, FDA officers seize silicone chin, nose implants and unlicensed medicine

The Consumer Protection Police Division (CPPD) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) joined forces to bust a smuggler selling unlicensed silicone chin and nose implants.

Police from CPPD Subdivision 4 and FDA officials, armed with a search warrant issued by the South Bangkok Criminal Court, searched a warehouse in Bangkok on Friday and seized unlawful items used for plastic surgery, including:

• 13,021 silicone nose implants
• 1,404 silicone chin implants
• 1,192 units of 15 types of medicine used in plastic surgery

The FDA sought CPPD’s assistance after finding unlicensed and dangerous silicone implants and medicines being sold online.

Investigators discovered that the seller also distributed these items to several plastic surgery clinics.

The warehouse manager, identified only as 34-year-old Ekkasit, was arrested. Officials said the warehouse had been supplying the unlicensed implants and drugs to more than 20 clinics for three years.

Ekkasit faces three charges:

• Violating the Medical Device Act by selling medical devices without a licence (maximum penalty: two years in jail and/or a fine of 200,000 baht)
• Violating the Medicine Act by selling medicine without a licence (maximum penalty: five years in jail and/or a fine of 10,000 baht)
• Violating the Medicine Act by selling unregistered drugs (maximum penalty: three years in jail and/or a fine of 5,000 baht)

FDA deputy secretary-general Dr Lertchai Lertwut warned that using unlicensed silicone implants poses extreme risks because they have not been certified as medical grade. He cautioned that such implants could cause severe infections, facial deformities or even death.