Police have confiscated brand-name designer bags, clothing and shoes worth 18 million baht in Chachoengsao, the largest-ever seizure of counterfeit merchandise in the eastern province.
Pol Maj Gen Theerapol Jindaduang, chief of Chachoengsao province, on Saturday announced the seizure and the arrest of two men during a news conference at the provincial police headquarters.
A total of 3,801 fake items of well-known brands were seized. The haul included 500 Lacoste T-shirts, 636 Louis Vuitton cosmetic bags, 37 Louis Vuitton handbags, 215 Kipling bags, 300 pairs of FitFlop shoes, 190 items of Manchester United sportswear, 570 Nike sportswear items and 500 fake Adidas clothing products.
Also seized were 55 sets of Puma sportswear, 200 pairs of New Balance shoes, 110 pairs of Levi's jeans, 33 pairs of Puma shoes, 235 Longchamp bags, 140 pairs of Vans shoes, 10 MCM bags, 57 Chanel bags, three Prada bags and 10 items of New Balance sportswear.
The two suspects were identified as Chawapong Rattanawiang, 38, of Sa Kaeo province and Sombat Parasuk, 38, of Si Sa Ket.
Pol Maj Gen Theerapol said the fake products, worth about 18 million baht, had been smuggled across the Thai-Cambodian border from Guangzhou in China via Sihanoukville. It was the largest-ever seizure of counterfeit items in the eastern region, he added.
The seizure came after police stopped a six-wheel truck at the Ban Khao Chan checkpoint on Highway 359 between Sa Kaeo and Khao Hin Son in Sanam Chai Khet district of Chachoengsao at 8.30pm on Friday.
Mr Chawapong, who drove the truck, and his assistant Sombat told police that their tarpaulin-covered load contained wood scrap, but the officers were not convinced.
When the police pulled down the tarpaulin, they found the counterfeit items hidden in fertiliser sacks.
Officers said the two men confessed that they had been hired to transport the products from the Rong Kleua border market in Aranyaprathet district of Sa Kaeo to the Rong Kleua 2 market in Nakhon Nayok.
The pair reportedly said that they had transported pirated products from the border market once a week and were paid 6,000 baht a trip. They had been making the trips for more than eight months before being arrested.
Police have charged them with possessing counterfeit products with intent to sell in violation of the Trademark Act. The suspects were handed over to the Wang Khu police station for legal action.
Sacks containing fake products of various brand names, including Louis Vuitton, Lacoste and Longchamp, were found beneath a tarpaulin in a truck. (Photo by Sonthanaporn Inchan)