Officials raid Rawai hookah venue and arrest two suspects

Officials arrested two people and seized hookah tobacco and related equipment valued at more than B500,000 during a raid on a Rawai establishment on 3 August.

The operation was led by officers from the Mueang Phuket District Office, supported by the Phuket Provincial Special Operations Unit, the Mueang Phuket District Special Operations Unit and Chalong Police. Officials said they acted after receiving complaints that the venue was providing illegal hookah services.

An undercover officer entered the establishment, bought a hookah and obtained a receipt before the officers identified themselves and searched the premises, according to officials. The suspects were a Thai national and a Myanmar national.

Officials said they seized 57 items, including 41 packages of hookah tobacco weighing about 13.1 kilogrammes, 27 hookah pipes, 238 mouthpieces, 43 hookah bowls and other hookah-related equipment.

The Thai suspect was charged with offences including possessing and selling prohibited imported goods under the Customs Act, as well as selling or offering hookahs and e-cigarettes in breach of consumer protection regulations. Additional charges concerning foreign-worker reporting were filed after officials alleged that the employer had failed to report the employment of a foreign worker and that the Myanmar worker had failed to report a change of employer as required under labour laws.

The suspects and seized items were handed over to investigators at Chalong Police Station for further legal action.

The raid followed a similar operation in Ratsada, where officials arrested a Thai woman and seized hookah and electronic hookah equipment valued at about B130,000. Authorities said inspections of entertainment venues across Phuket would continue. Thai law prohibits the import, sale and provision of hookahs, electronic hookahs and e-cigarettes.