Police seize 216,000 untaxed cigarettes in Wichit raid, charge two suspects

Police in Wichit seized 10,800 packs of untaxed foreign cigarettes worth more than B400,000 during a raid on a rented room on Chao Fa West Rd in Moo 3, and charged two suspects under excise and customs laws.

The raid was carried out on the morning of July 12 after an investigation into the illegal storage and sale of smuggled cigarettes, according to police.

Officers said they had conducted surveillance outside the property on Saturday night. They became suspicious after seeing a man and a woman leave the premises and stopped them for questioning.

A search of the woman’s backpack found 120 packs of smuggled foreign cigarettes, containing 2,400 cigarettes, police said.

According to police, the pair then admitted that more cigarettes were being stored at the property and agreed to a search of the room.

Inside, officers found another 10,680 packs, or 213,600 cigarettes, packed in cardboard boxes.

In total, police seized 10,800 packs containing 216,000 cigarettes. Police estimated the value of the stash at more than B400,000.

The two suspects were charged with jointly possessing and selling goods on which excise tax had not been paid under the Excise Tax Act, and jointly concealing, selling or possessing goods that had not undergone customs clearance under the Customs Act.

Police said one of the suspects admitted during questioning that the cigarettes belonged to him.

Both suspects and the seized cigarettes were handed over to investigators at Wichit Police Station for legal proceedings.