(ANN/THE NATION) – A total of 693 suspects were arrested during the police’s nationwide crackdown on e-cigarettes and laughing gas from February 26 to March 4, with confiscated items valued at over THB42 million, the Royal Thai Police announced.
During a press conference on Thursday, deputy police chief Pol Gen Prachuap Wongsuk outlined the efforts of police units across the country to eliminate e-cigarettes, which are banned in Thailand, and laughing gas from the streets.
Commonly referred to as laughing gas, nitrous oxide is a chemical compound utilised in medicine for its anesthetic and pain-relieving properties, yet it is frequently abused illegally to create feelings of euphoria and hallucinations.
Prachuab said officials made the arrests in 669 cases with 693 suspects during the seven-day operation.
A total of 454,958 e-cigarettes were confiscated, with an estimated street value of THB41.91 million.
Officers also confiscated 2,334 tubes of laughing gas, with an estimated value of THB100,000.
Prachuap mentioned that among the detained suspects, three were identified as primary distributors and 669 were minor sellers, with 12 apprehended at tourist sites, six near schools, and three caught selling laughing gas.
