PHUKET, THAILAND – A large-scale enforcement operation in Phuket uncovered a major illicit cigarette network, with officials seizing 69,628 untaxed cigarettes from four premises and arresting five people, authorities said.
Coordinated morning raids
The operation took place on the morning of 15 October 2025. A special unit of the Phuket Provincial Administration, led by provincial security chief Akkara Suwattikun, executed court-authorised search warrants and simultaneously raided four suspected sales and storage locations in the Rassada subdistrict of Mueang Phuket. The unit, made up of security assistants and members of the Territorial Defense Volunteer Corps, encountered organised resistance at some sites but proceeded with the searches, officials said.
Sites and seizures
Investigators detailed the findings at each address. At a rented flat on Ratsadanusorn Road they found two women in possession of 170 cigarette packs and 4,000 loose cigarettes. A short distance away, at a house listed as 65/9, Moo 7, authorities uncovered the main cache: 3,345 packs containing 65,628 cigarettes, which they said pointed to commercial-scale sales.
Further seizures included 75 cartons (977 packs) from an unnumbered rented house on Prachasamakkee Road and 15 cartons (16 packs) from another unnumbered house on Kan Kheha Road. In total officers seized 90 cartons, 4,508 packs and 69,628 individual cigarettes, along with 16,240 baht in cash believed to be proceeds of illegal sales.
Financial and legal impact
Officials warned the loss to state revenue was substantial, saying the unpaid excise on the confiscated tobacco ran into millions of baht. Each untaxed cigarette translates into lost revenue for the government and increased profit for criminal suppliers, the authorities said.
All five individuals detained during the raids were transferred to Mueang Phuket police station. They face charges under the Excise Act B.E. 2560 (2017), specifically allegations of possession of goods with unpaid or insufficient excise tax (section 203) and of selling or intending to sell such goods (section 204). Legal proceedings were opened following the arrests.
Wider crackdown on the shadow market
The raids form part of a broader crackdown on the cigarette black market in Thailand, officials said, noting that tourist destinations such as Phuket are especially vulnerable because of high demand among visitors. Authorities signalled further enforcement actions were planned as they seek to dismantle distribution networks and protect legitimate retailers.
The operation underscored growing enforcement against tax evasion and illicit trade, which can carry heavy fines and potential prison terms under Thai law. Local officials said the message was clear: illegal tobacco sales would not be tolerated and would be pursued vigorously.