Thanakit Jitareerat, vice-minister for public health, right, engages in a conversation with Food and Drug Administration deputy secretary-general Weerachai Nalawachai at Tuesday’s press conference regarding the seizure of unregistered animal drugs. (Photo supplied/ Wassayos Ngamkham)
In a dramatic crackdown on counterfeit animal medication, police seized fake drugs worth more than 84 million baht from two prominent gang networks during raids conducted in Nakhon Pathom and Samut Sakhon provinces. Officers from the Consumer Protection Police Division (CPPD) alongside officials from the Food and Drug Administration uncovered 222,360 illegal items across four premises in these central provinces, as reported by Thanakit Jitareerat, vice-minister for public health, on Tuesday. The confiscated goods boasted a retail value of 84.84 million baht.
Delving into the specifics, the operational sweep in Nakhon Pathom targeted three separate locations. One in tambon Huai Kwang of Kamphaeng Saen district was clandestinely producing these illicit medications. Within this makeshift factory, officials uncovered at least 20 pieces of production equipment along with various raw materials.
In another daring raid, a house in tambon Don Tum district revealed 112 packages of unregistered animal drugs. The relentless pursuit led them to a warehouse in Sam Phran district where they unearthed falsely packaged and labeled animal drugs. Pol Col Anuwat Rakcharoen, CPPD deputy commander, confirmed that all three sites were linked to an illegal animal drug network initially raided in 2020.
Remarkably, these counterfeit veterinary medications found their way to pet shops and online platforms, putting countless pets at risk. The pursuit continued in Samut Sakhon, where police stormed a warehouse in tambon Bang Nam Jued, Muang district, seizing 6,270 packs of illegal animal drugs valued at approximately 4.8 million baht, as detailed by Pol Lt Col Kankanit Jongprasert, deputy superintendent of the CPPD sub-division 4.
Layering intrigue to this complex case, Pol Lt Col Kankanit revealed that the criminal network was spearheaded by Chinese nationals. These deceptive masterminds smuggled the fake drugs from China and assigned their Chinese colleagues in Thailand to package and dispatch the parcels to unsuspecting customers. This shadowy operation had been deceitfully thriving for about four months, distributing roughly 500 boxes of animal drugs monthly, raking in around 300,000 baht.
The confiscated items are being sent to the Department of Medical Sciences for rigorous laboratory tests to assess their contents and potential hazards. FDA deputy secretary-general Weerachai Nalawachai underscored the grave dangers of administering unregistered veterinary drugs to pets. These counterfeit medications might either lack essential substances or contain incorrect quantities, posing serious health risks to beloved pets.
To pet owners who want the best for their furry friends, Weerachai emphasized the importance of vigilance. Always verify the authenticity of any medication before administration, he advised. Your pets deserve genuine care, free from the threats posed by counterfeit drugs.
It’s horrifying to think that people would risk the lives of innocent animals for profit. What kind of world do we live in?
I totally agree. It’s despicable and shows a real lack of ethics. These people should face serious consequences.
But aren’t there counterfeit drugs in the human market too? Why is this surprising? People have been doing this for ages.
You’re right, Tom, but it’s still shocking. It feels more personal when pets, who rely completely on us, are involved.
Heartbreaking. Some pet owners don’t even know they’re giving their pets harmful drugs. Education is so important.
True, but how can we ensure that everyone gets proper education on this? There are always going to be people who fall through the cracks.
Public awareness campaigns could help. It’s a start at the very least.
Just goes to show how poorly regulated the market can be. Why weren’t there stricter controls in place earlier?
Regulations often come down to resources and political will. Maybe there just wasn’t enough pressure to prioritize this issue.
Plus, these criminal networks are often very good at evading detection until it’s too late. Regulation alone isn’t enough—there needs to be proactive enforcement.
My cousin almost lost her dog because of counterfeit drugs. This is so real and close to home.
Is it just me or does it seem like the authorities are always playing catch-up? These guys had been operating for months!
Indeed, Chris. It’s like they’re always one step behind. There needs to be a better system in place for early detection.
It’s not just enough to educate pet owners. Veterinarians and pet stores need to be diligent too.
Agreed! They are the frontline and can catch these things faster if they’re vigilant.
Absolutely. It really takes a community effort to fight back against these criminal activities.
This is why I always buy my pet’s medication from the veterinarian’s office directly. It’s a bit pricier, but at least I know it’s safe.
The involvement of Chinese nationals in this scheme is concerning. How widespread do you think this is?
It’s likely pretty widespread. Globalization means these networks can reach just about anywhere.
$84 million worth of fake drugs? That’s insane. How does something like this fly under the radar for so long?
Fake drugs are a huge problem globally, not just in Thailand. It’s a massive underground industry that thrives on evading law enforcement.
The real victims here are the animals. A tragedy no less. We must be the voice for them.
I run a small pet store and this scares the heck out of me. How do we even begin to ensure our stock is legit?
Kudos to the police for a successful operation, but sadly this is probably just the tip of the iceberg.
Just another example of how human greed can jeopardize lives. Truly sad.
Greed is a part of human nature, unfortunately. What really needs to change is the system and how it catches these crimes.
What about the pet owners who bought these fake drugs unknowingly? Can they get compensation?
That would be hard to implement, but it’s a good point. Some form of restitution should be made available.
Compensation sounds good in theory, but proving it in court would be a nightmare!
No wonder so many people are skeptical about the products they buy. You really can’t trust anything these days.