A Nigerian man has been arrested in Thailand over his alleged involvement in a cocaine trafficking syndicate operating around Bangkok’s nightlife scene, according to reports.
The suspect, identified as Nwaiwu Ifeanyi Placid, 46, was arrested by officers of the Metropolitan Police Bureau in a targeted operation near Silom Soi 1, where authorities reportedly recovered about 27 grammes of cocaine from him.
Metropolitan Police Bureau chief, Pol Lt Gen Sayam Boonsom, said the arrest was part of an ongoing crackdown on an organised drug network believed to be supplying cocaine to entertainment hubs in the Thai capital.
Three other suspects, a Swiss national and two Thai citizens, were also arrested separately on drug possession charges.
Police said the wider operation led to the seizure of about 30 grammes of cocaine, a car, 1.5 million baht in cash, foreign currency worth around 15,000 baht, and jewellery valued at approximately 400,000 baht.
Investigators linked the latest arrests to earlier raids targeting the same syndicate. On October 26 last year, officers reportedly went undercover posing as construction workers to dismantle a Nana-based drug ring, leading to the arrest of nine Nigerian suspects.
A subsequent raid on January 23 resulted in further arrests and the seizure of assets valued at more than 7 million baht.
Police also identified another Nigerian suspect, known only as “Patrick,” aged 47, as a key figure in the network.
Authorities said he had lived in Thailand for at least 17 years and allegedly ran a “middleman-free” drug network supplying cocaine directly within nightlife districts.
Officers said they infiltrated encrypted chat groups and monitored his movements over time before moving in to make arrests.
Deputy commissioner Pol Maj Gen Theeradet Thamsuthee said the suspect resisted arrest and was restrained by officers, adding that he later confessed to the charges.
The police added that investigations are still ongoing, with all suspects currently in custody as efforts continue to dismantle the wider network.
The Punch also reported the development, noting the series of coordinated raids that have linked the suspects to an expanding drug distribution network across Bangkok’s entertainment districts.
