A LARGE quantity of used medical gloves illegally smuggled into Thailand and packed for sale as new under various brands was seized from a closed entertainment venue and the office of the company that ran the operation, Siam Rath newspaper reported.
Total value of the used gloves and the production equipment seized from the two places in Nong Khaem district of Bangkok is around 200 million baht.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Permpoon Chidchob, assistant commissioner of the Royal Thai Police, together with Pol. Maj. Ge.n Nuttasak Chaowana, head of the Consumer Protection Police Division, and Dr. Suphattra Bunserm, deputy secretary-general of the Food and Drug Administration, jointly announced the successful raids.
Action was taken after a complaint was filed that this illegal activity was taking place at the now closed The Series 90 entertainment venue in Soi Petchkasem 81.
When police raided the premises they found workers sorting out coloured medical gloves that were in both good and bad shape, therefore clearly used, with these to be packed in boxes stamped with the brands Panyos®, PURE Glove among others with there being 5,000 of these boxes at this site.
Further investigation led to a raid on the office of the company Panyos Health Planet Company Limited, also in the same district, where similar used gloves, packing equipment and storage facilities were found.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Permpoon said the suspects in this illegal business face charges under the Medical Device Act B.E. 2551 (2008) and face maximum three years in jail and a fine not exceeding 300,000 baht or both.
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Top: Lots of smuggled used medical gloves and boxes in which they were to be packed and sold seized during the two raids. Photos: Siam Rath