The operation was carried out at about 3:30pm on Wednesday (Jan 21) by a special operations unit of the Phuket Provincial Office.
According to the Provincial Administration Office, officials executed a search warrant at a shop in Moo 1, Wichit, after receiving information that smuggled cigarettes were being sold on the premises.
During the search, officers seized 86 packs of cigarettes, totalling 1,710 cigarettes, comprising various brands believed to have been illegally imported into Thailand. The shop manager was apprehended at the scene.
Authorities confirmed that the cigarettes were seized as contraband and that the shop manager was taken into custody for further legal action.
A formal record of the arrest and seizure was compiled and forwarded to Wichit Police Station for prosecution under relevant laws, said an official report of the arrest.
The report did not disclose the location of the shop or identify the woman arrested.
Provincial officials said the raid forms part of a wider government and Ministry of Interior policy to intensify enforcement against illegal activities, including the sale of smuggled goods, and to curb the influence of illegal networks operating in local communities.
“The Phuket Provincial Administration will continue proactive operations to strictly enforce the law and maintain public order,” officials stated, adding that further inspections and enforcement actions are planned across the province.
No further details were provided on potential charges at this stage.