Eleven Nigerians have been detained by Thai immigration and police authorities after a suspected international romance scam gang operating in the Muang Thong Thani region of Thailand was broken up.
Thailand News, a local news outlet, announced the arrests on Thursday. The arrests were made on Monday as part of a combined operation. A Thai woman in Nong Khai submitted a complaint in late 2025, claiming she was robbed through an online romantic relationship. This led to months of investigation, which culminated in the operation.
The victim claimed to have met a Facebook user posing as a Chinese engineer, according to the report. The suspect allegedly convinced her to deposit more than two million baht into multiple mule accounts after winning her trust through extensive conversation on Facebook and Line. He then said he was unable to access monies required for a building project.
Financial tracking, according to police, allowed detectives to identify Thai account holders involved in the transactions, which in turn led to the discovery of a larger, well-organized criminal network. According to reports, the gang operated out of a condominium in Nonthaburi, and its members were given specific responsibilities such account recruiters, cash withdrawers, and online scammers.
The Immigration Bureau Commissioner, Pol Lt Gen Phanumas Boonyaluck, ordered a coordinated raid on the site based on information obtained. At the time of the operation, officers allegedly discovered the suspects actively participating in online romance frauds utilizing computers and cell phones.
Thirteen people were taken into custody, including two Ivorians and eleven Nigerians. According to reports, some of the suspects tried to escape but were caught by agents.
Eight of the suspects had overstayed their visas, according to authorities, while five Nigerians had allegedly entered Thailand illegally across the border with Laos. The suspects were accused with crimes pertaining to immigration, such as unauthorized entry and overstaying a visa.
Officers confiscated 34 electronic devices, including computers and cell phones, during the operation. These devices allegedly held evidence of planned internet scams in which Thai and foreign women were defrauded by impersonating affluent European and Asian citizens.
Additionally, investigators claimed to have discovered connections between the suspects and the Nong Khai complaint, as well as proof that the suspected schemes’ revenues were sent to Nigeria via bitcoin. Investigations to break up the larger network and find other accomplices are still underway, according to the police.
Only one week has passed since another Nigerian was detained in Thailand on suspicion of drug-related offenses. According to PUNCH Metro, Ukoma Jefta Nuzbech, a Nigerian living in Thailand, was detained after reportedly escaping an ongoing trial connected to a drug-peddling case in the Koh Pha Ngan region.
He was originally taken into custody in March 2025 on suspicion of selling an undercover police officer 25.71 grams of cocaine.
