Three Nigerian Men and Russian National Arrested for Drug Trafficking in Thailand
Three Nigerian men and a Russian national have been arrested in Phuket, Thailand, for allegedly selling illicit drugs.
The deputy chief of the Immigration Bureau, Pol Major General Phanthana Nutchanart, announced the arrests on Wednesday, stating that the suspects were involved in distributing cocaine over the past weekend.
The apprehended individuals were found with various illegal substances, including cocaine, ecstasy, and methamphetamine, valued at approximately 4.9 million baht.
The investigation began in early April following a tip-off from a group of foreign nationals who reported that a Russian named Denis was involved in car rentals and cryptocurrency exchanges.
Undercover officers approached Denis, who offered to sell them cocaine for 4,000 baht per gram. After completing the transaction, Denis was arrested and found in possession of 0.99 grams of cocaine.
Further investigation revealed that Denis had obtained the cocaine from two Nigerian nationals, Harison and Ogadinma. Both men were subsequently arrested after police discovered 1.4 grams of cocaine hidden in their car.
The investigation then led police to a bungalow in Chalong, Phuket, where they arrested Solomon, a 53-year-old Nigerian believed to be the ringleader of the drug trafficking operation.
A significant quantity of drugs was seized from the bungalow, including 855 ecstasy pills, 470 grams of cocaine, and 127.8 grams of methamphetamine.
Police provided street price estimates for the drugs in Phuket: Ecstasy pills range from 1,000 to 2,000 baht each, cocaine from 4,000 to 5,000 baht per gram, and methamphetamine from 1,500 to 2,000 baht per gram.
The drugs seized from Solomon’s bungalow are estimated to be worth around 4 million baht. Additionally, police confiscated two cars and 900,000 baht in cash, bringing the total value of the seized assets to 4.9 million baht.
Three Nigerian Men and Russian National Arrested for Drug Trafficking in Thailand
