A large amount of weight-loss products and food supplements containing the banned additive sibutramine have been seized during raids on four premises in Bangkok and surrounding provinces.
The seized products had false Food and Drug Administration (FDA) labels of approval.
They were impounded during police raids at four premises - in Pathum Thani, Ayutthaya and Bangkok - on Tuesday, health deputy permanent secretary Tharet Kratnaiyarawisong old a media conference on Wednesday.
A task force from the Consumer Protection Police Division (CPPD) and FDA officials first searched Pimpen Healthcare Inter Co in Pathum Thani’s Lam Luk Ka district, where they found many slimming products and sexual enhancement food supplements for men. Product labels for sibutramine were also found there.
The company is a major producer of weight-loss products and food supplements.
A total of 69 different brands of supplement products were confiscated, including Idol Slim Coffee and Slim Lesterol Oristal.
Samples would be sent to the Department of Medical Sciences for laboratory testing.
An initial examination found the production premises failed to meet Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards. (continues below)
Pimpen Healthcare Inter Co in Lam Luk Ka, pathum Thani -- one of the four premises raided. (Photo by Pongpat Wongyala)
CPPD officers also raided a house in tambon Khan Ham in Uthai district, Ayutthaya, and seized unapproved food supplements and weight-loss products of seven brands -- 222 boxes of Tabongpet, 9 boxes of Like Slim Yogurt by Idol brand, 336 boxes of Hipo Slim Detox Gold and 1,202 boxes of Like Slim Coffee, Sliming Diet Raspberry Plus, Black Gold Slim and Like Slim Apple by Idol.
At a house on Lat Phrao Road in Phlapphla Chai area, Bangkok, officers seized four more similar products with false FDA labels -- Idol Slim Apple, Tabongpet Coffee, Hippo Slim Detox and BK Size Coffee.
Police also searched Lan Nam Hom shop on Soi Wutthakat 9 in Don Muang, Bangkok, and confiscated slimming products labelled Idol Slim Coffee and food supplements with false FDA labels.
The products seized from the four premises retailed at over 30 million baht in total, Dr Tharet said.
Legal action would be taken against the owners and manufacturers of those products. False FDA labelling carries a fine of up to 30,000 baht, the offence of selling unapproved food products is liable to a jail term of 6 months to 10 years and/or a fine of 5,000 to 100,000 baht. Producing products containing harmful chemicals carries a jail term of up to 2 years and/or a fine of 20,000 baht.
Weight-loss products of various brands are seized. (Photo by Pongpat Wongyala)