SAMUT SAKHON - Two Chinese men were arrested at an isolated warehouse in Muang district after police found fake-branded cosmetics, food and other products stored there.
Jiaxian Ouyang, 27, and Hang Zou, 19, were taken into custody from a warehouse in tambon Phanthai Norasing on Sunday, Pol Maj Gen Thatsapoom Charupratya, commander of the Economic Crime Suppression Division, said on Monday.
At the warehouse, police found 78,223 cosmetic items, food and other products falsely bearing the names of luxury brands.
The products had been smuggled from China and kept at the warehouse where Thais were employed to package them for nationwide delivery. The goods were available online. Both Chinese suspects allegedly confessed to the crime.
The potential economic damage from the counterfeit products was estimated at 52 million baht. Police also seized 12 mobile phones and computers at the warehouse, and would examine them to identify accomplices, Pol Maj Gen Thatsapoom said.
He warned that counterfeit cosmetics and food products often contained hazardous substances such as mercury, hydroquinone and steroids.