Thai police raided a luxury condo near Suvarnabhumi Airport and arrested six Nigerian nationals operating a romance scam gang that used sexually explicit chat scripts and AI-generated images to defraud victims. Officers seized 18 phones, la
On May 23, 2569 (2026), authorities reported that at 4:00 PM on May 22, National Police Chief Pol. Gen. Kittirattana Phanphetch, along with Deputy Police Chiefs Pol. Gen. Samran Nualma and Pol. Gen. Thana Chuwong, and Assistant Police Chiefs Pol. Maj. Gen. Jiraphop Phuridech and Pol. Maj. Gen. Kritsada Kanjanalong, ordered an operation led by Pol. Col. Siam Bunsombat, Deputy Inspector and commanders from the Narcotics Control Bureau, Nonthaburi Provincial Police, and Ratchada Police Station to execute a "dark room dismantling" operation. Armed with a court-issued search warrant from Nonthaburi Provincial Court, officers raided three rooms in a luxury condominium near Suvarnabhumi Airport and apprehended six suspects:
Mr. Denis (name withheld), age 23, Nigerian national (overstayed 726 days)
Mr. Ejikeme (name withheld), age 24, Nigerian national (overstayed 827 days)
Mr. Ibekwe (name withheld), age 29, Nigerian national (overstayed 1,166 days)
Mr. Okorom (name withheld), age 26, Nigerian national (overstayed 695 days)
Mr. Nwosu (name withheld), age 30, Nigerian national (overstayed 1,560 days)
Mr. Obielu (name withheld), age 35, Nigerian national
All six were charged with illegal entry and remaining in the Kingdom without valid authorization. Romance scam charges are pending further coordination with victims and local investigators for additional prosecution. Seized evidence included 18 mobile phones containing romance scam chat data, fraudulent scripts, and AI-generated facial images; 3 laptop computers; and 3 bank account ledgers. The operation took place at a luxury condominium in the Phra Nang Klao Bridge area, Bang Krasor Subdistrict, Muang District, Nonthaburi Province.
Background: On May 22, 2569, National Police Chief Pol. Gen. Kittirattana Phanphetch appointed Deputy Police Chief Pol. Gen. Samran Nualma to head a task force targeting foreigners engaged in illegal business operations, working alongside the Narcotics Control Bureau director. Following this directive, Pol. Col. Siam Bunsombat and Pol. Lt. Col. Theerdet Thamsutheera, deputy head of narcotics operations, expanded investigations into foreign drug trafficking networks in alignment with government policy.
The investigation expanded following the earlier arrest of "Patrick," a Nigerian national and major figure in an international cocaine trafficking network, along with four associates on April 18, 2569. Authorities seized 27 grams of cocaine and 2.5 million baht in assets. Continuous follow-up investigations revealed a structured criminal organization with interconnected financial networks.