Phuket officials have denied claims that government staff helped keep illegal e-cigarettes on sale along Bangla Road, after a late night raid on the strip ended with 10 arrests.
The operation began at 9pm on Wednesday, 17 September, and swept through three areas of Patong: the beachfront, Bangla Road itself, and the far end of the street near Jungceylon shopping centre.
The raid followed complaints that e-cigarettes were being sold openly in Patong’s main tourist area, with some allegations suggesting government officials had assisted the trade or made it easier to operate.
E-cigarettes have been sold on Bangla Road for years despite being illegal in Thailand. This operation was designed to reach past the street vendors to the suppliers behind them.
Anyone found to be arranging or facilitating the sales was also a target of the crackdown, officials said. 10 people were arrested for the sale and possession of e-cigarettes.
The suspects face charges under section 246 of the Customs Act, which covers concealing or handling goods known to be connected to an offence. The charges tie in with a Ministry of Commerce order listing e-cigarettes, hookahs and electric hookahs as prohibited imports.
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