The operation, led by Chief of the Phuket Provincial Defense Office, Akara Suwatthikul, was carried out under a search warrant issued by the Phuket Provincial Court.
Officers from the Provincial Defense Office, assisted by defense volunteers, targeted four locations believed to be selling untaxed cigarettes.
The raids began around 11:30am and resulted in arrests at all four premises.
At the first location, a rented room on Rattanusorn Rd in Moo 3, two women were detained. Officers seized 170 packs of cigarettes, 4,000 loose sticks, B920 in cash and documents linked to sales.
A second raid at a house in Moo 7, Ratsada, led to the arrest of another woman and the confiscation of 3,345 packs of cigarettes, and in total the seizure of 65,628 sticks ‒ and B8,020 in cash.
At a third property, an unregistered rental house on Pracha Samakkhi Rd, officers arrested one woman and seized 75 cartons (977 packs) of cigarettes and B5,700, officials reported.
A fourth raid on a house without a number on Karn Keha Rd, Moo 7, resulted in the arrest of one man, along with the seizure of 15 cartons (16 packs) and B1,600 in cash.
In total, authorities confiscated 90 cartons, 4,508 packs and 69,628 sticks of untaxed cigarettes, along with B16,240 in cash, officials said in their report.
Officials confirmed to The Phuket News that the number of cigarettes seized not matching the number of packs and cartons seized was due to many packs not containing the full 20 cigarettes, and many cigarettes packed loosely for sale individually.
All five suspects have been charged with possession and sale of goods for which excise tax had not been paid or fully paid, in violation of Sections 203 and 204 of the Excise Act B.E. 2560 (2017), officials confirmed.
The suspects and all seized evidence were handed over to Phuket City Police Station for further legal action.