馃嚦馃嚞NigeriaWest Africa
Six Nigerians arrested in Thailand for alleged drug trafficking and AI-powered romance scams
via Punch Nigeria9 min read
Thai police have arrested six Nigerian nationals in Nonthaburi Province, Thailand, on suspicion of involvement in an international cocaine trafficking syndicate and an artificial intelligence-powered romance scam. The arrests occurred during raids on three apartments where suspects allegedly resisted officers and attempted to destroy evidence. Authorities recovered 18 mobile phones, three laptop computers, and three bank passbooks, with some phones containing active conversations related to suspected drug transactions. The investigation, which began in April, previously led to the arrest of a suspected kingpin and four accomplices, with assets valued at approximately 2.5 million baht recovered. Police allege the six Nigerians, aged 23 to 35, entered Thailand on student visas but were living in expensive riverside apartments without attending school or legitimate employment. The romance scam reportedly used AI-generated images of attractive foreign men to target elderly Thai women, convincing them to send money for the release of purported overseas gifts. The suspects initially admitted to belonging to a criminal association and overstaying their visas, with additional charges for fraud and online romance scams possible as investigations continue.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
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