Russian ‘beauty doctor’ performing illegal face lifts arrested in luxury villa raid
A Russian woman performing illegal face lifts was arrested in a luxury villa raid in Thailand.
Kristine, 45, allegedly offered clients unlicensed Botox injections and cosmetic procedures at the upmarket property on holiday island Phuket.
Police raided the premises following reports the Russian was illegally operating a clinic at the villa.
Investigators gathered evidence and secured a search warrant before storming the villa on June 7.
Officers said Kristine identified herself as the owner and accompanied them during the search.
Inside a first-floor bedroom, police found a woman lying on a treatment bed who appeared to be undergoing a cosmetic procedure.
Authorities seized 600,000 baht of items, including medical equipment, collagen injections, hyaluronic gels, and numerous vials of highly regulated Botox.
During questioning, Kristine reportedly failed to produce the necessary licences for the establishment.
She was detained and charged with 'operating a medical establishment without permission, managing a medical establishment without permission, selling medical devices without a licence, selling unregistered medical devices, selling modern medicines without permission, and selling unregistered medicines.'
She denied the charges but allegedly confessed that some of her products and equipment were allegedly smuggled from Russia through Phuket International Airport.
Police later handed Kristine and the seized items over to the inquiry officer at Thalang Police Station for further legal proceedings.
Phuket has seen a surge of Russians and Ukrainians relocating or staying long-term to escape conscription, sanctions, and instability, with Russians becoming one of the island's largest tourist and expat groups.
