Thai police have arrested six Nigerian nationals during a raid on a luxury condominium in Nonthaburi province over allegations of operating a romance scam network that defrauded victims into transferring money.
According to a Thai media outlet, The Nation Thailand, the operation, codenamed “Dark Room Crackdown,” was carried out on Thursday at a riverside condominium near Phra Nang Klao Bridge in Bang Kraso, Muang district, following investigations into foreign criminal networks linked to suspicious financial transactions.
Police officers reportedly searched three rooms under warrants issued by the Nonthaburi Provincial Court.
During the raid, authorities seized 18 mobile phones, three laptop computers, and three bank books. Investigators said the devices allegedly contained romance scam conversations, scam scripts, and AI-generated profile images used in the operation.
The suspects identified as Denis, 23; Ejikeme, 24; Ibekwe, 29; Okorom, 26; Nwosu, 30; and Obielu, 35, were arrested at the condominium.
Reports indicated that five of the six suspects had overstayed their visas for periods ranging from 695 to 1,560 days.
Another Thai media platform, Thai PBS World, reported that the suspects had entered Thailand on student visas but were allegedly not enrolled in any institution or engaged in legitimate employment despite large sums moving through their bank accounts.
Police said some of the suspects resisted arrest by refusing to open their doors, forcing officers to break in. One suspect allegedly attempted to escape through a balcony, while another was reportedly found hiding in a bathroom and trying to alert others through text messages.
Investigators alleged that the group posed online as foreign professionals, including pilots, soldiers, lawyers, engineers, and doctors, using fake identities on platforms such as Facebook Messenger, WeChat, TikTok, Li,ne, and Zalo.
Authorities said the suspects allegedly built romantic relationships with victims before claiming that parcels sent from overseas had been seized by customs authorities and demanding payments for their release. Many of the reported victims were said to be elderly Thai women.
The six suspects were later transferred to Rattanathibet Police Station along with the recovered items.
They were initially charged with membership of a secret society and overstaying their permission to remain in Thailand, while police said additional charges linked to romance scam activities could follow after further investigations and coordination with victims and other police stations handling related complaints.
According to The Nation Thailand, all six suspects reportedly confessed to the initial charges at the time of their arrest.
