By SUNTV Global News
January 23, 2026
Thai authorities have arrested 13 foreign nationals — including 11 Nigerians and two citizens of Côte d’Ivoire — following a major crackdown on an alleged international romance fraud syndicate operating in Thailand’s Nonthaburi province.
The arrests were carried out on Monday, January 19, during a coordinated early-morning operation by the Thai Immigration Bureau and the Pak Kret Provincial Police, after weeks of intelligence-led investigations.
According to reports by Stay in Thailand, security operatives raided a condominium in the Muang Thong Thani area, believed to be the operational hub of the syndicate. Several suspects reportedly attempted to flee the building barefoot during the raid but were intercepted by officers positioned around the premises.
Police said the operation was triggered by a complaint from a Thai woman in Nong Khai province, who alleged she was defrauded by individuals posing online as a Chinese engineer. Investigators revealed that the suspects contacted the victim through social media, gradually built an online romantic relationship, and later convinced her to send money under various pretences.
The victim reportedly transferred funds on four separate occasions, losing more than 2 million baht — approximately ₦91 million.
Financial intelligence units traced the transactions to mule bank accounts allegedly linked to a wider transnational criminal network. Authorities said intelligence gathering showed the suspects operated as a structured foreign gang, with clearly defined roles including online romance scammers, cash handlers, and recruiters of bank account holders — commonly referred to as “mules”.
Based on this intelligence, law enforcement agencies identified the Pak Kret condominium as the group’s central base and launched the joint operation.
During the raid, police seized 34 electronic devices, including laptops and mobile phones. Investigators said many of the devices contained active scam conversations, scripted messages used to deceive victims, and internal chat communications showing how members coordinated their activities and alerted one another as the raid unfolded.
Thai authorities disclosed that eight of the suspects were overstaying their visas, while five Nigerian nationals had no official record of legal entry into Thailand. Police said the five admitted to entering the country through the Lao border.
Further investigations revealed that members of the syndicate allegedly posed as wealthy foreign professionals to gain victims’ trust. Some suspects were reportedly living with Thai partners, whom they persuaded to allow their personal bank accounts to be used to receive and withdraw fraud proceeds. The funds were later converted into cryptocurrency and transferred overseas, according to police.
Thai police said investigations are ongoing to identify additional suspects, trace financial flows, and dismantle the wider network connected to the syndicate.
