A smuggling ring thought to be making over THB100 million monthly, and employing over 200 people, has been busted in Pattaya. The ring used websites to sell illegal penis enlargement gels and other illegal health and beauty products from Russia to Thai clients.
The Trans-National Crime Coordination Division of the Pattaya Police yesterday got a tip-off about a bunch of websites being used to transport and sell illegal items including lots and lots of Titan Gel, a gel advertised to increase penis size.
Raid teams were mobilized immediately (We assume that post-raid dates were also arranged immediately).
The cops raided the first house, at 16/23 in Soi Maab Yai Lia M. 5, Pattaya, where homeowner Napat Vasilneko, who is married to a Russian, was served with a search warrant. Officers found 2,000 boxes of Titan Gel. Those and some financial documents were taken as evidence.
The second raid was at a commercial building at 202/174 Rattakanorn Village Project, 25 Panied Chang, Central Pattaya. The building’s sign said it was the Plus Pattaya Language School but that turned out to be a front as officers discovered a packaging and distribution plant behind the doors. Four workers were inside, hard at work packing up orders of Titan Gel, energy boosting, diet and teeth whitening products.
The third raid happened at 202/132 Rattakanorn Village Project, 25 Panied Chang, Central Pattaya. This location was registered as a Visa and Work Permit Agency called N.A Services (Thailand) Co. Ltd. Inside, cops caught the owners and two workers packaging the same products.
Another five addresses, on Soi Pornprapanimitr 16, were searched. Each held 30-40 workers and supervisors processing online and phone orders.
All told, there were more than 200 employees of this operation. Each was earning at least THB12,000 per month.
During questioning, Napat admitted that she controlled the order-taking before forwarding the info to some of the other locations.
The websites doing the selling are all registered in Russia and set up to sell illegal products from Russia to Thais. Officers seized penis enlargement gel and other beautifying products worth more than THB50 million.
From seized paperwork, officers believe that the smuggling ring completed over THB100 million each month in illegal sales.
No charges have yet been filed and the investigation is ongoing. Charges may include tax evasion, distribution of illegal products and “not displaying Thai labels.”
As Pattaya One said so well, “Officials are expecting some stiff consequences.”
