Thailand’s Customs Department has seized a shipment of imported trading card game products and matcha powder from Japan after discovering false customs declarations and missing import permits.
The seizure was announced yesterday, August 5, after officers at Suvarnabhumi Airport Cargo Customs Office inspected the shipment and found irregularities in the import declaration.
Customs said the shipment lacked the required import permits and was accompanied by false customs declarations, resulting in more than 3.2 million baht in unpaid duties.
The department said the import could constitute offences under the Customs Act 2017, Food Act 1979, Export and Import of Goods Act 1979 and Plant Quarantine Act 1964.
Officials alleged the shipment was imported without the required permits and that false information had been provided to reduce import duties.
The seizure also drew attention from a Japanese matcha specialty store, which commented on the Customs Department’s Facebook post, warning consumers about counterfeit products.
“Thank you for sharing this information. Although this purple tin closely resembles an authentic Kamibayashi Shunsho Honten matcha tin, it is not a genuine product made in Japan.
“The attached image shows what the authentic packaging looks like. Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Please be careful of counterfeit matcha products.”
In similar news, Thai Customs seized 30 boxes of One Piece card game products worth more than 2 million baht at the Sadao border checkpoint in Songkhla after officers found the goods near an arrival gate with no owner present.
Customs said the cards were seized because they had allegedly been brought into Thailand without completing customs procedures, an offence under the Customs Act 2017 and other relevant laws.
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