POLICE arrested three suspects on trademark counterfeiting charges in a raid on a single-storey house in Pathum Thani province where unbranded monosodium glutamate (MSG) food additive was found falsely-labelled under a well-known brand, Sanook.com said yesterday (July 27).
Altogether 54,445 items separated into 21 categories were seized during the raid and aside from the unbranded MSG these included bags, packages and cartons stamped with the Ajinomoto brand and other equipment.
Charged with holding a product for sale under a counterfeit trademark, name, images and text were Mr. Jatupol (surname withheld), 30, Ms. Phakhon (surname withheld), 43 and Mrs. Myad (surname withheld), 57.
The raid was mounted after the Economic Crime Suppression Division (EIC) received a complaint from Ajinomoto (Thailand) Co., Ltd that some smugglers were illegally wholesaling MSG under its trademark in Pathum Thani and nearby areas.
Investigation pointed to three locations in Pathum Thani where this illegal activity was taking place and they were all raided. It was also found that this illegal business had 20 million baht in circulation.
Police later discovered that the suspects had previously been arrested in 2020 on the same charges with some cases still at the appeals court.
All three suspects confessed to having purchased unbranded MSG and packaging them in fake Ajinomoto bags and boxes for sale in these areas.
They were taken to the Economic Crime Suppression Division for questioning and face charges under the Trademark Act. The unbranded MSG was sent to the Food and Drug Administration for testing with more charges under the Food Act possible,
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Police raiding a house in Pathum Thani where unbranded MSG was being packed for sale in fake Ajinomoto brand bags and inspecting the seized goods. Top photo Sanook.com, others Naewna
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