Customs seize Bt100m in Chinese goods falsely labeled 'Made in Thailand'

Customs and foreign trade officials have staged a major joint operation today at Laem Chabang Port in Chon Buri province, seizing Chinese imports worth more than 101 million baht and falsely labelled "Made in Thailand" to exploit trade privileges for export.

The proactive inspections targeted origin-spoofing activities within the port’s free zone and the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand’s (IEAT) free zone in Chon Buri.

The crackdown followed receipt of intelligence revealing efforts to import goods from China, re-label them as Thai-made, and re-export them to international markets.

Phantong Loykulnanta, director general of the Thai Customs Department, said the operation aligns with national policy to suppress illicit import-export practices. He emphasised that claiming false origins to gain unfair trade advantages threatens international trade relations and undermines global trust in genuine Thai exports.

Arada Fuangthong, director general of the Department of Foreign Trade, joined customs officials on-site to inspect stored cargo before it could reach overseas buyers. The team focused on high-risk shipments suspected of misrepresenting foreign-made products as goods produced in Thailand.

The inspection uncovered two major cases involving false declarations. In the first case, officers intercepted 5.37 million ‘TWOMOON’ brand cigarettes imported from China under free zone customs privileges. Despite being manufactured abroad, the packaging was clearly marked "Made in Thailand," causing estimated economic damage of 17 million baht.

In the second case, authorities discovered 202,000 sets of fully assembled cutter knives imported from China under IEAT free zone privileges, which had been declared as semi-finished blades and utility knife components.

The finished products and packaging were stamped "Made in Thailand," with economic damage estimated at 84.27 million baht.

Customs officials stated that the actions were violations of multiple Thai laws, including the Customs Act B.E. 2560 (2017), the Act Prohibiting the Importation of Goods Bearing False Indications of Origin B.E. 2481 (1938) and the Export and Import of Goods Act B.E. 2522 (1979).

Authorities have pledged to prosecute offenders to the fullest extent of the law, while continuing rigorous inspections to protect Thailand's export credibility globally.