Police raid hookah, e-cig sellers

Immigration police chief Pol Lt-Gen Surachate Hakparn, centre, gives details of the raids on hookah and e-cigarette providers at a night market near the Ram Intra expressway Bang Khen district, Bangkok, on Sunday night. (Photo supplied)

Police arrested 23 people and seized 2,856 hookahs, e-cigarettes and vaping solution, worth more than 900,000 baht, in recent raids in greater Bangkok.

Police first targetted nine shops in Khlong Thom market in Pomprap Sattruphai district last Thursday, Pol Lt-Gen Surachat Hakparn, chief of immigration police, told a news conference on Sunday night.

There police arrested three Thais and two Lao nationals in possession of 1,729 bottles of liquid nicotine solution, 113 e-cigarettes and hookahs and 198 accessories, worth about 500,000 baht in total.

On Sunday police raided another 21 shops at night markets and arrested 16 Thais and two Myanmar nationals, seizing 1,127 bottles of liquid nicotine solution, 81 e-cigarettes and hookahs and 752 accessories, worth about 425,000 baht.

The detainees were charged with possessing and providing contraband products, and violating the tobacco control law and migrant workers' law. These offences carry maximum jail terms of five years and/or fines up to 600,000 baht.