Customs officials seized electronic cigarettes and hookahs in the southern region, worth nearly 5 million baht. Mr. Panthong Loykulnan, Advisor on Tax Collection Development and Administration and Spokesperson of the Customs Department, revealed that the government places importance on strictly preventing and suppressing smuggling of cigarettes and e-cigarettes. This is because it is currently found that children, youths, and the general public are very fond of using e-cigarettes. Those who illegally produce or distribute them modify the appearance of e-cigarettes to make them more attractive or mix other types of drugs into the e-cigarette liquid, which is very dangerous to the health of children, youths, and the general public. In order to prevent the health of the public from cigarettes and e-cigarettes, The Customs Department, led by Mr. Thirach Attanavanich, Director-General of the Customs Department, has strictly enforced the prevention and suppression of offenders by seriously, decisively and contin uously arresting smugglers and distributors of e-cigarettes and accessories, as well as strictly enforcing related laws. During August 1-15, 2024, the Customs Department, represented by the Customs Region 4, Songkhla Customs Checkpoint, together with the Investigation and Suppression Division, went to inspect parcels at a private shipping company in Songkhla Province. The search results found 780,000 foreign cigarettes worth 3,900,000 baht, 3,960 e-cigarettes with accessories worth 680,000 baht, and 70 kilograms of hookahs worth 70,000 baht, for a total value of 4,650,000 baht. The foreign cigarettes were not stamped and there was no evidence of proper import or customs clearance. As for e-cigarettes and hookahs, they are prohibited items according to the Ministry of Commerce's announcement on the designation of hookahs and electric hookahs. Or are e-cigarettes a prohibited item for import? For statistics on arrests of offenders who smuggled cigarettes, e-cigarettes and hookahs, e-hookahs into the Kingdom fr om 1 October 2023 to 15 August 2024, they are as follows: cigarettes, 1,731 cases, value 176,554,369 baht; and e-cigarettes, e-cigarette liquids and e-cigarette equipment, hookahs, e-hookahs, e-hookahs, 326 cases, value 86,848,105 baht, totaling 2,057 cases, quantity, value 263,402,474 baht Source: Thai News Agency