Nigerian Pastor Ebuka Nwachukwu Arrested for Cocaine Smuggling in Thailand

• Pastor Ebuka Nwachukwu Arrested for Cocaine Smuggling in Thailand

BANGKOK, THAILAND — Thai police have arrested Nigerian national Pastor Ebuka Nwachukwu for alleged cocaine smuggling in a major operation in the Bang Rak district of Bangkok.

The 47-year-old Igbo man, who has lived in Thailand for nearly two decades, was picked up on Sunday, April 19. Authorities described him as the alleged kingpin of a drug trafficking syndicate operating in the city’s nightlife areas.

Nwachukwu reportedly posed as a pastor while running the network. Police arrested him alongside three other suspects, including a Thai partner.

Officers seized 2.4 million baht (about $74,800) in cash from his home during the raid. They also recovered mobile phones and other items linked to the alleged trade.

Videos and photographs released by the Metropolitan Police Bureau have since circulated widely online, drawing swift reactions from Nigerians at home and in the diaspora.

Many have expressed shock that a man claiming to be a man of God could be involved in such activities. Others see it as another dent on the image of Nigerians living abroad.

NaijaChoice News gathered that the suspect remains in Thai custody as investigations deepen. No official statement has yet come from Nigerian authorities on the matter.

The development comes amid growing concerns over drug-related cases involving Nigerians in parts of Asia. Thai law carries stiff penalties for trafficking offences.