Nigerian dealer arrested on Koh Pha Ngan with 240,000 baht of cocaine
Police arrested a Nigerian drug dealer on Koh Pha Ngan, an island in the southern province of Surat Thani, at the weekend, and seized 240,000 baht worth of cocaine.
Pha Ngan Tourist Police officers received a tip-off that a Nigerian man on the island was offering drugs to other foreign tourists in the area. He personally delivered the drugs to customers using two black hatchbacks.
The Nigerian not only sold drugs on Koh Pha Ngan but also in other areas in nearby provinces such as Krabi and Phuket. He primarily sold cocaine at 6,000 baht per gramme. He did not use any parcel delivery services but instead hired others to deliver the drugs for him if the clients were outside the island.
Acting on the tip-off, Saturday, March 1, officers posed as customers and arranged to purchase drugs from the foreign man. They ordered cocaine from the Nigerian dealer and set a pickup point at Phan Thip Market.
The Nigerian man, later identified as 37 year old Ukwuoma Jephtah Nzubechi, arrived at the meeting point in a black hatchback, got out, and handed the packet of drugs to the undercover officers.
The officers then revealed their identities and arrested Nzubechi. A search of the foreigner’s car led to the seizure of evidence worth 240,000 baht, including the vehicle, his iPhone 12 Pro Max, and 25.71 grammes of cocaine, which was valued at over 240,000 baht.
Nzubechi faces two charges under the Narcotics Control Act:
- Section 146: Possession of a Category 2 drug, which carries a potential sentence of one to ten years in prison and a fine of 100,000 to 1 million baht.
- Section 164: Use of a Category 2 drug, which carries a penalty of six months to three years in prison, a fine of 10,000 to 60,000 baht, or both.
Two weeks ago, another Nigerian man was arrested in Phuket for the possession of cocaine with intent to sell. Officers seized 7.2 grammes of cocaine from his bedroom as evidence. His arrest followed a tip-off from local residents.
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