Thai police and immigration officials have arrested 11 Nigerians in connection with an alleged international online romance scam uncovered in the Muang Thong Thani area of the country.
The suspects were picked up during a coordinated security operation, details of which emerged on Thursday through reports by Thailand News.
Authorities said the probe was initiated after a Thai woman based in Nong Khai reported late in 2025 that she had been swindled by a man she encountered on social media and believed to be a foreign professional.
According to investigators, the woman stated that the suspect posed as a Chinese engineer on Facebook and maintained frequent communication with her via Facebook and Line, gradually building trust before requesting financial assistance.
She was allegedly convinced to send over two million baht to different bank accounts after the suspect claimed he could not access money needed for a construction project.
Police said transaction trails led them to several Thai bank account holders, a breakthrough that exposed a larger and well organised syndicate operating from a residential apartment in Nonthaburi.
Investigators disclosed that members of the group were assigned specific duties, including online communication with victims, withdrawal of funds and recruitment of individuals to provide bank accounts for the scheme.
Acting on intelligence, the Immigration Bureau Commissioner, Pol Lt Gen Phanumas Boonyaluck, authorised a raid on the apartment, where officers reportedly found the suspects actively engaged in online romance fraud using electronic devices.
A total of 13 suspects, made up of 11 Nigerians and two Ivorians, were arrested during the operation, with security operatives saying some of them tried to escape before they were caught.
Authorities revealed that eight of the suspects had exceeded their approved stay in Thailand, while five Nigerians were said to have entered the country unlawfully through the Laos border, resulting in immigration related charges.
Police added that 34 laptops and mobile phones were recovered and are believed to contain materials linked to coordinated scams involving impersonation of wealthy foreign nationals, with proceeds allegedly sent to Nigeria through cryptocurrency channels. Investigations into the broader network are continuing.
The arrests came shortly after a Thailand resident Nigerian, Ukoma Jefta Nuzbech, was taken into custody over an alleged drug case in the Koh Pha Ngan area, having reportedly absconded from an ongoing trial after his arrest in March 2025 for allegedly selling cocaine to an undercover officer.
