PATTAYA, Thailand (BN24)— Two Nigerian men believed to be part of a wider drug trafficking network in Bangkok were arrested in Chonburi province after one attempted to swallow packets of cocaine to destroy evidence, Thai police said Thursday.
The arrests followed a coordinated operation between Chonburi Immigration and Pattaya City Police, targeting foreign drug syndicates operating along Thailand’s eastern seaboard. Authorities identified the suspects as Amarachi and Ikenna, both Nigerian nationals who had overstayed their tourist visas.
The sting operation, conducted on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, in the Jomtien area of Pattaya, led to the recovery of 33 grams of crystal methamphetamine (known locally as “ice”) and 9 grams of cocaine concealed inside cigarette packs and toothpaste boxes.
During the raid, police said one of the suspects tried to swallow small pellets of cocaine in an effort to eliminate evidence. Officers acted quickly, prying open the man’s mouth and recovering the drugs before they could be ingested.
According to Pattaya police, the two men are linked to a larger Nigerian-led drug trafficking ring operating across Bangkok’s nightlife districts, particularly around the Nana Plaza area. The network reportedly uses a “mouth-concealment method,” in which suspects hide small drug packets in their mouths to evade detection during police patrols.
The Chonburi arrests were connected to an earlier Bangkok Metropolitan Police operation carried out on October 26, in which narcotics suppression officers disguised as construction workers stormed several locations around Sukhumvit Soi 11, a nightlife hub in the Nana district. That pre-dawn raid resulted in the arrest of eight Nigerian nationals and one Thai accomplice, dismantling what authorities described as a key cell in a transnational drug network catering to tourists.
Officers in the Bangkok operation seized several grams of cocaine, mobile phones used for arranging drug sales, and cash proceeds. Investigators said data retrieved from the phones helped trace connections between the Bangkok group and the suspects later arrested in Pattaya.
Both operations were part of an ongoing national crackdown on foreign criminal organizations involved in the narcotics trade and visa violations. Thai authorities say many foreign suspects in the network entered the country legally but overstayed their visas to continue illicit activities.
Pol. Maj. Gen. Songprod Sirisukha, Commander of Immigration Division 3, praised the collaboration between agencies, calling it a major victory against cross-border drug syndicates.
“We will relentlessly crack down on all forms of transnational crime, restoring safety to Pattaya and tourists worldwide,” Sirisukha said.
Authorities said the investigation is ongoing, with further arrests expected as police expand their probe into related drug operations in Bangkok and other tourist cities.
Thailand’s government has increased scrutiny of foreign nationals involved in criminal enterprises, following several high-profile arrests this year that exposed growing drug distribution networks tied to nightlife and tourism sectors.
Police added that the latest operation demonstrates the country’s commitment to dismantling transnational drug trafficking cells and ensuring the safety of both residents and international visitors.
