Thai police have arrested six Nigerian nationals during a raid on a luxury condominium in Nonthaburi province.
The suspects are accused of running a romance-scam network that defrauded victims into transferring money.
According to Thailand media outlet, The Nation Thailand on Saturday, the operation, codenamed “Dark Room Crackdown”, was conducted 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.
Officers searched three rooms under warrants issued by the Nonthaburi Provincial Court, The Nation Thailand reported.
“Police seized 18 mobile phones, three laptop computers and three bank books. Investigators said the devices contained alleged romance-scam chats, scam scripts and AI-generated profile images,” The Nation Thailand reported.
The suspects, Denis, 23; Ejikeme, 24; Ibekwe, 29; Okorom, 26; Nwosu, 30; and Obielu, 35, were arrested during the raid.
Five of the six were found to have overstayed their visas by periods ranging from 695 to 1,560 days, according to The Nation Thailand.
Another media outlet in Thailand, Thai PBS World reported that police said the suspects were living together in the condominium despite holding student visas, with no evidence of attending classes or regular employment.
“Police said that the six Nigerians entered Thailand on student visas, but none of them went to any college here, nor do they have any jobs, but their bank accounts show substantial deposits,” Thai PBS World reported.
During the search, some suspects allegedly refused to open their doors, prompting officers to force entry.
One suspect was reported to have attempted an escape through a balcony, while another was found hiding in a bathroom trying to alert others via text messages.
According to The Nation Thailand, investigators said the group posed as foreign professionals, including pilots, soldiers, lawyers, engineers and doctors, using fake profiles on platforms such as Facebook Messenger, WeChat, TikTok, Line and Zalo.
The alleged scheme involved cultivating romantic trust with victims before claiming an overseas parcel had been held by customs and demanding money for its release. Many of the victims were said to be older Thai women.
All six suspects were transferred to Rattanathibet Police Station alongside the seized evidence.
They were initially charged with membership of a secret society and overstaying their permission to remain in Thailand.
Police said further charges related to romance-scam offences may follow after coordination with victims and police stations handling related complaints.
The Nation Thailand reported that all six suspects confessed to the initial charges at the point of arrest.
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