Finding the sauce of the matter

[Admin]

Finding the sauce of the matter
Economic Crime Suppression Division officers chase down suspect seasoning
Published: 5/07/2010 at 12:00 AM
Bangkok Post: Newspaper section: News

Many housewives might not be aware of the risks they face when they put sauces into their cooking pots every time they prepare a meal.

But Economic Crime Suppression Division (ECD) police are well aware of the threat. The "sauce busters" unit, as some smirkingly call it, has a job to crack down on the makers of fake popular seasoning sauces such as soy, oyster and fish sauces which are often prepared in highly unhygienic conditions.

"Suppressing fake sauces is not that ridiculous," ECD sub-division 4 commander Pratya Prasarnsuk said.

"Many people cannot help but laugh at us [upon learning what we do]. But they have no idea how serious this problem is. They have probably already eaten foods seasoned with fake sauces."

More than 10 members of the fake sauce suppression team began their mission early this year after receiving a complaint from Thai Theparos Food Products Plc, a major sauce manufacturer.

The company complained that its Golden Mountain soybean sauce products had been copied and sold in the market as if they were genuine.

The team investigated the complaint and finally arrested Sophaporn Buranatrakul in Bangkok on Jan 13 with 8,388 bottles of fake Golden Mountain soybean sauce, Tiparos fish sauce and Healthy Boy soy sauce products. These are among the most popular sauces in the country.

This arrest led to a follow-up crackdown in which the police arrested Benchawan Taengcham on Jan 22 with 3,376 bottles of several types of fake seasoning sauces and fish sauces in Chai Nat.

Realising the two were only a small part of a large criminal network, the investigators continued to dig deeper for information that might lead to the arrest of a "big fish".

Chitaphop Tomuean, one of the lead investigators, believed the network consisted of at least two groups: one producing the fake products and the other distributing them to shops, especially those in the northern, northeastern and upper central provinces.

An informant reported to the ECD that two attached four-storey buildings in Soi Ekachai in Bang Bon district were being used as a warehouse to store the fake products.

Pol Lt Col Chitaphop then checked the number plate of a six-wheeled truck which frequently visited the buildings to figure out who he was dealing with.
The truck is registered in the name of Piyawit Thalai and a criminal record check showed he was arrested and charged in October last year with owning a factory producing fake Golden Mountain, Tiparos and Healthy Boy sauces.

Despite having enough evidence to seek a warrant to raid the Bang Bon buildings, the ECD opted to monitor the gang and their patience paid off.

The team tracked a truck which led them to another warehouse in Pathum Thani where it is alleged fake sauce products were stored before being distributed to shops on June 13.

The police then raided the two warehouses and confiscated a large amount of finished fake sauces, chemical mixtures used to produce them, containers and trademark labels.

Pol Lt Col Chitaphop, who led the June 13 warehouse raids, described the fake sauce containers and mixing bins as "filthy". They were full of garbage.

After arresting the suspects in the fake sauce case, someone approached Pol Col Pratya, the sub-division commander, in an attempt to bribe him to waive the charges.

"If I sprinkle these sauces on your dish and your children's dishes, will you and they eat them?" Pol Col Pratya asked the person who tried to bribe him. "If you do, I will let you go."

[TBWG]

Finding the sauce of the matter
Economic Crime Suppression Division officers chase down suspect seasoning
Published: 5/07/2010 at 12:00 AM
Bangkok Post: Newspaper section: News

Many housewives might not be aware of the risks they face when they put sauces into their cooking pots every time they prepare a meal.

But Economic Crime Suppression Division (ECD) police are well aware of the threat. The "sauce busters" unit, as some smirkingly call it, has a job to crack down on the makers of fake popular seasoning sauces such as soy, oyster and fish sauces which are often prepared in highly unhygienic conditions.

"Suppressing fake sauces is not that ridiculous," ECD sub-division 4 commander Pratya Prasarnsuk said.

"Many people cannot help but laugh at us [upon learning what we do]. But they have no idea how serious this problem is. They have probably already eaten foods seasoned with fake sauces."

More than 10 members of the fake sauce suppression team began their mission early this year after receiving a complaint from Thai Theparos Food Products Plc, a major sauce manufacturer.

The company complained that its Golden Mountain soybean sauce products had been copied and sold in the market as if they were genuine.

The team investigated the complaint and finally arrested Sophaporn Buranatrakul in Bangkok on Jan 13 with 8,388 bottles of fake Golden Mountain soybean sauce, Tiparos fish sauce and Healthy Boy soy sauce products. These are among the most popular sauces in the country.

This arrest led to a follow-up crackdown in which the police arrested Benchawan Taengcham on Jan 22 with 3,376 bottles of several types of fake seasoning sauces and fish sauces in Chai Nat.

Realising the two were only a small part of a large criminal network, the investigators continued to dig deeper for information that might lead to the arrest of a "big fish".

Chitaphop Tomuean, one of the lead investigators, believed the network consisted of at least two groups: one producing the fake products and the other distributing them to shops, especially those in the northern, northeastern and upper central provinces.

An informant reported to the ECD that two attached four-storey buildings in Soi Ekachai in Bang Bon district were being used as a warehouse to store the fake products.

Pol Lt Col Chitaphop then checked the number plate of a six-wheeled truck which frequently visited the buildings to figure out who he was dealing with.
The truck is registered in the name of Piyawit Thalai and a criminal record check showed he was arrested and charged in October last year with owning a factory producing fake Golden Mountain, Tiparos and Healthy Boy sauces.

Despite having enough evidence to seek a warrant to raid the Bang Bon buildings, the ECD opted to monitor the gang and their patience paid off.

The team tracked a truck which led them to another warehouse in Pathum Thani where it is alleged fake sauce products were stored before being distributed to shops on June 13.

The police then raided the two warehouses and confiscated a large amount of finished fake sauces, chemical mixtures used to produce them, containers and trademark labels.

Pol Lt Col Chitaphop, who led the June 13 warehouse raids, described the fake sauce containers and mixing bins as "filthy". They were full of garbage.

After arresting the suspects in the fake sauce case, someone approached Pol Col Pratya, the sub-division commander, in an attempt to bribe him to waive the charges.

"If I sprinkle these sauces on your dish and your children's dishes, will you and they eat them?" Pol Col Pratya asked the person who tried to bribe him. "If you do, I will let you go."

OK there must be some smart arsed remarks to make about when the boys in brown ketch up with you but I can't think of any! But this must have been the Mummie and Daddies  of all busts! S'pose the culprit was going to fund the bribe on HP


TBWG