Sex stores face clampdown
Police target importers of toys and drugs
Published: 16/05/2011 at 12:00 AM
Bangkok Post: Newspaper section: News
Police have raised the bar in their efforts to confiscate illegal sex toys and prosecute those who are caught importing sexual performance-enhancing drugs.
Sex shops might seem to be an unlikely place for violent crimes to take place but police insist patrons of these establishments contribute to sexual crimes.
Police officers have continued to clamp down on the distribution and sale of sex toys and illegal sex-enhancing drugs. The Consumer Protection Police Division (CPPD) has now raided a large warehouse storing sex products worth about 20 million baht.
The leader of the police team assigned to tackle the sex toy businesses is Pol Maj Gen Phoonsap Prasoetsak, the commander of the CPPD.
Other key members in his team are two leading investigators of the division, Pol Col Phrutthiphong Prayoonsiri and Pol Lt Col Sanya Niampradit.
The team's targets are operators of large warehouses, not petty retailers around the city, particularly those selling such products in popular areas such as Patpong Road, Soi Nana or the Khlong Thom area.
On May 10, Pol Col Phrutthiphong and Pol Lt Col Sanya led a police team which stormed a house in Soi Boromratchonnanee4 in Bang Bamru sub-district of Bangkok's Bang Phlat district.
During the raid, the team seized sex-enhancing drugs for both men and women, ranging from viagra, kamagra, cialis, caverta and "Spanish fly" as well as sex toys worth more than 20 million baht.
The investigation that led to the May10 raid was as complicated as the investigation to track down murderers and masterminds in complex murder cases.
The team had planned the raid one week in advance.
It began with a sting operation on May9 in Soi Inthamara47 of Bangkok's Din Daeng district.
Once Pol Lt Col Sanya's investigation team managed to identify Praphatsorn Naphalai, a major suspect for selling sex-enhancing drugs and sex toys, the team immediately arrested him.
The team also seized 2,000 boxes of illegal sex-enhancing drugs.
Mr Praphatsorn revealed the location of a sex products warehouse after he was questioned.
The investigation team obtained a search warrant from the Taling Chan provincial court and seized all products from the warehouse.
The owner of products, believed to be a Chinese national, escaped before police arrived.
Pol Col Phrutthiphong said most pornographic products and sex toys available in the market were not produced in Thailand. Products such as artificial male and female genitalia, sex dolls, artificial tongues and artificial fingers, were imported from China.
He said the pornographic products arrived in Thailand through border provinces in the North and Northeast. Once the products were sent to storage sites _ mostly rented houses _ they would be sold to retailers later.
Sex toys are often sold with sex-enhancing drugs in entertainment districts in major cities.
In Bangkok, the products are sold illegally on Patpong Road, Soi Nana and Khlong Thom. However, distributors can sell more of such products through websites, Pol Col Phrutthiphong said
He said his team would soon expand their operations to tackle pornographic businesses on the internet.
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