Chonburi, Thailand – Thai authorities have dismantled what is believed to be the country’s first found illegal large-scale e-cigarette manufacturing plant in a major operation in Chonburi province, seizing nearly 100,000 devices and production equipment valued at over 100 million baht.
We first reported on this major story here.
The raid took place on Monday, June 8th, 2026, when officers from Banglamung Police Station, Banglamung district administration officials, and the Special Investigation Department’s (DSI) Area 2 Operations Centre stormed a warehouse in Soi Nong Pla 12.
Today, (Tuesday, June 9th), a high-level delegation led by Police Lieutenant General Ruthaphol Naowarat, Minister of Justice, along with Chonburi Governor Naris Niramaiwong, Provincial Police Commander Pol. Maj. Gen. Phongphan Wongmanithet, Laem Chabang Port Customs officials, and DSI executives returned to the site for a follow-up inspection.
Initial inventory of seized items included:
– 65,031 finished e-cigarettes
– 3,520 e-cigarette pods pre-filled with e-liquid and lithium batteries
– 30,640 e-cigarette pods with lithium batteries
– 480 electronic hookah (balakoo) devices
– Various production machines: 13 bag-sealing machines, 7 pumps, 2 large printers, 2 heat-sealing machines, 2 continuous conveyor sealers, 1 crimping machine, and 6 chargers
– 41 drums (30 litres each) of fruit- and tobacco-flavoured e-liquid containing nicotine
– 6 motorcycles and 1 pickup truck with obscured rear licence plate
Three suspects were arrested.
One Thai man, 32-year-old Mr. Witthawat Sangsoema (aka Golf), from Surin province, was detained while driving a suspicious pickup truck loaded with 8,000 e-cigarettes. Two Myanmar nationals, Mr. Maung Htet Naing Oo and Mr. Sai Sai, were arrested for working illegally and entering Thailand without permission.
Minister of Justice Ruthaphol Naowarat hailed the operation as a significant breakthrough, noting that previous seizures had only involved finished products already on the market or raw materials.
“This is the first time Thailand has successfully busted a full-scale illegal e-cigarette manufacturing factory,” he said. “The sheer volume – over 90,000 devices – and the mountain of used 30-litre chemical drums indicate the operation had been running for a considerable time.”
The minister specifically praised the alertness of Banglamung patrol officers, whose decision to stop the suspicious unregistered pickup truck ultimately led to the discovery and dismantling of the entire factory.
He also thanked the Chonburi governor, local administrative officers, and all involved agencies for their ongoing efforts against illicit drugs and precursor chemicals in the province.
Pol. Maj. Gen. Phongphan Wongmanithet, Chonburi Provincial Police Commander, revealed that the warehouse had previously operated as a legal cannabis cultivation site before being converted into an e-cigarette factory. Forensic officers from Police Forensic Science Division 2 are currently collecting evidence at the scene, with plans to expand the investigation and arrest all connected individuals, including many workers who managed to flee.
Authorities stated that the Ministry of Justice and DSI will intensify coordination with relevant agencies to crack down on precursor chemicals used in e-cigarette production, as well as emerging synthetic drugs popular among teenagers, both along border areas and within Thailand. In Thailand, vaping is illegal with strict fines and possible jail time.
