Police raided eight supermarkets selling unregistered goods in Thailand. Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) officers swept through the specialty stores across Bangkok and seized 25,283 products not approved by the Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The products, including snacks, condiments, drinks and processed meats, were reportedly imported from China. Police Lieutenant General Jiraphop Phuridet, Commissioner-General of the Central Investigation Bureau, said the raids, which took place from December 2 to 27, came after several reports of children being hospitalised for severe allergic reactions from eating unapproved imported snacks. He said: 'The Consumer Protection Police Division also acted on a request from the FDA to raid shops selling imported products from China that did not display the FDA or Thai language labels. 'These products posed a risk to consumers as they were unaware of the ingredients or origin of the items.' The supermarket owners may face fines of up to 30,000 baht (700 GBP) for selling food with improper or incorrect labels. Police Major General Wittaya Sriprasertphap, commander of the Consumer Protection Police Division, said authorities have raided 47 shops in Bangkok and nearby provinces in 2024. He said: 'We are continuing to monitor dangerous products that have not received FDA approval and may not be safe for consumption, both in stores and online. ‘I would like to warn those who illegally manufacture or sell substandard food not registered under the FDA to stop because we will continue the crackdown and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.' (1 GBP = 42.76 THB)

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