KHON KAEN: A man has been arrested and dental equipment seized during a police raid on a commercial building in Muang district of this northeastern province.
The raid followed the arrest of a Pakistani man and seizure of untaxed medical equipment in Bangkok.
Tourist police and public health officials armed with a court warrant searched the building, which housed Germany International Medical Co, in tambon Ban Ped on Wednesday.
Mr Chakrarin Thantharak, 48, the caretaker of the building, was inside the venue.
The search uncovered a quantity of medical supplies and equipment, mostly dental, on the second floor of the building. Brochures, invoices and a computer were also seized.
Mr Chakrarin failed to produce documents showing official authorisation for the equipment when asked. The officers seized all items and took him to the Khon Kaen tourist police office for questioning.
Khon Kaen-based tourist police seize boxes containing dental equipment from a company in Khon Kaen province. (Photo by Chakrapan Natanri)
Pol Lt Col Chen Pu-ob, deputy superintendent of the Tourist Police Bureau’s Division 2, said the search came after tourist police arrested a Pakistani man in Bangkok for allegedly smuggling medical equipment into the country and then selling it to hospitals and clinics. The equipment was imported by Germany International Medical Co in Khon Kaen.
Pakistani national Saleem Muhammed and several employees were recently detained at a booth displaying medical appliances at a hotel in Chatuchak district. Police found several devices were substandard and had not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). More importantly, taxes had not been paid on those items, said Pol Lt Col Chen.
“After the Pakistani man was caught, the TPB and the Public Health Ministry jointly extended the investigation. We inspected the firm in Khon Kaen and found Mr Chakrarin, the caretaker of the building, where medical equipment was kept. We have arrested him and confiscated those items for examination,’’ said the deputy superintendent.
Mr Chakrarin told police investigators that the firm was run by his relative and her former boyfriend. He claimed he worked as a salesman at another company and had moved to the building because it was closer to his customers.
The seized dental equipment was destined for hospitals, both public and private, in the Northeast, he said.
Pol Lt Col Chen said Mr Chakrarin has been charged with unlawful possession of substandard medical equipment that had not been approved by the FDA. The suspect was held in police custody at Ban Ped police station.
Police raid a company in Khon Kaen. (Photo by Chakrapan Nathanri)