Thai immigration and police raided a condominium in Muang Thong Thani, Nonthaburi Province, arresting 13 foreign nationals on January 19, 2026, in a crackdown on an international romance scam syndicate. The operation targeted 11 Nigerian men and two Ivorian nationals, many of whom overstayed visas or entered illegally via Laos. Officers caught suspects mid-scam, chatting with victims online.
Victim’s Complaint Sparks Probe
A Thai woman from Nong Khai reported losing over 2 million baht (about N91 million) late last year after a scammer posed as a Chinese engineer on Facebook. Communication shifted to LINE, building a fake romance before requests for construction project funds via mule accounts. Police traced transactions to Thai accomplices, exposing the Nonthaburi base.
Raid Details and Seizures
Around 1 p.m., forces stormed multiple rooms in Pak Kret district; barefoot suspects fled but were caught. They seized 34 devices—laptops and phones—with fake profiles mimicking Asian/European elites, scam scripts, and crypto transfer evidence to Nigeria. Suspects lived luxuriously, some dating locals for bank mules.
Syndicate Operations Exposed
Members had roles: victim contactors, mule recruiters, cash handlers, and launderers converting funds to cryptocurrency. Thai authorities, led by Immigration Bureau Commissioner Pol Lt Gen Phanumas Boonyaluck, link it to broader networks targeting global victims via social media. Investigations continue for more arrests.
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