Two Nigerians Among Five Arrested In Cocaine Ring Bust In Thailand

Police have arrested four suspects, including the alleged Nigerian kingpin, in a crackdown on a cocaine network operating in Bangkok’s nightlife districts.

Metropolitan Police Bureau chief Pol Lt Gen Sayam Boonsom said the arrests on Saturday dismantled a syndicate led by Nwaiwu Ifeanyi Placid, 46, who is accused of supplying cocaine for sale in the capital. Officers arrested him near Silom Soi 1 after tracking his movements, and seized about 27 grammes of cocaine.

Three others were also detained on drug possession charges — Swiss national Thomas Giubibini and two Thai men, Thanayot Asawamethi, 35, and Nattawat Wangkitjinda, 34.

Police seized about 30 grammes of cocaine in total, along with a car, 1.5 million baht cash, foreign currency worth 15,000 baht and jewellery valued at 400,000 baht.

Police said the arrests stemmed from an earlier operation, on Oct 26 last year, when undercover officers posing as construction workers dismantled a Nana-based network and arrested nine Nigerian suspects.

Further investigation identified a suspect known as “Patrick”, a 47-year-old Nigerian national, as a key figure in the network. Police said he had lived in Thailand for at least 17 years, using a sham marriage as cover, and allegedly ran a “middleman-free” operation, coordinating drug sales through encrypted chat groups.

Officers infiltrated the chat groups and tracked his movements before arresting him while he was delivering drugs to the three alleged associates, police said.

MPB deputy commissioner Pol Maj Gen Theeradet Thamsuthee said the suspect resisted arrest and had to be restrained by several officers. He later allegedly confessed to the charges.

All suspects were held in police custody and the expanded investigation was continuing.

In other news: Mumbai Police Nab Nigerian National with Drugs Valued at Over N300 Million

Khar Police in Mumbai, India, have arrested a 39-year-old Nigerian man, Eze Njoku, for possession of ecstasy tablets and cocaine.

The Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) intercepted him around 11:15 pm on April 16 at Sherly Rajan Road in Bandra while he waited for customers. Officials spotted him wearing a pouch and attempting to slip away on seeing their patrol vehicle.