Police have raided a factory producing fake allergy syrup in Nonthaburi, resulting in the arrests of its owner and a manager.
A team of investigators from the Metropolitan Police Division 7, armed with a search warrant issued the Nonthaburi Provincial Court, searched the factory on a 9-rai (14,400-square-metre) plot of land in tambon Rat Niyom of Sai Noi district on Friday.
They seized 12,000 bottles of fake allergy syrup, 80,000 empty bottles and equipment for producing counterfeit medicines. The bottles bore fake "Allerin Syrup" labels.
Factory owner Mee, 37, and factory manager Thawee, 25, were arrested, police said on Saturday. The surnames of both men were not provided.
The raid followed a complaint filed by a representative of the company producing the genuine Allerin Syrup brand, stating that fake allergy syrup using their brand had been sold online. The complaint was filed with Thammasala police station.
Police launched an investigation that led to the raid on the factory.
Mr Mee confessed that he and Mr Thawee had jointly produced fake allergy syrup under this brand. Their business partners were responsible for delivering the products to agents and other customers who made orders online.
The owner claimed that his factory had been illegally producing the allergy syrup for four to five months. The factory could sell about 50 boxes a month, with each box containing 200 bottles and priced at 9,000 baht. This generated about 450,000 baht in monthly earnings.
Natthawut Simanurak, sales manager of the legitimate company, said the fake drugs caused damage worth about 100 million baht to his firm. He believed Mr Mee's factory had been illegally producing the fake products for at least one year. The fake products were sold at drugstores and to teenage customers, said Mr Natthawut.
The suspects were held in police custody for legal action.