Police arrest Malaysian ‘king of fake whisky’

A 63-year-old Malaysian man dubbed “David, king of fake whisky” has been arrested in a car park at a Bangkok shopping mall and admitted to having produced counterfeit foreign spirits for more than 30 years, police say.

Chan Fat Yat, a Malaysian national, was held on charges of illegally producing liquor, falsifying trademarks and overstaying his visa.

Seized from him were 26 bottles of fake Johnnie Walker whisky, 100 empty bottles labelled Johnnie Walker, 132 screw tops with foreign brand names, 252 fake duty stamps, labels for Johnnie Walker, Chivas Regal whisky and Penfolds Bin 389 wine and associated goods, tourist police told a briefing on Tuesday.

The suspect was detained while delivering whisky to a customer in the car park of the Mall Bang Kapi shopping complex on Monday afternoon. He tried to escape in his car as police moved in, but was caught.

His arrest came after tourist police based at Suvarnabhumi airport and airport officials were advised by immigration officers in Songkhla of a suspicious parcel en route from Hat Yai airport to Suvarnabhumi.

The parcel was addressed to “Mr Chan Fat Yat”. Police investigators received information he was Malaysian and was due to deliver fake whisky to a client at the mall.

Police said the suspect admitted he had produced fake foreign whisky for more than 30 years.’ Thai media reported that investigators learned the suspect had also used Grab Bike services to deliver his products to customers.