Thai police arrest Nigerian man for cocaine and visa overstay

Thai police raided a luxury hotel in Koh Pha Ngan and arrested a 47 year old Nigerian national for possession of cocaine and overstaying his visa. The Nigerian, Kenneth, claimed to use magic to evade detection during his drug transactions.

Tourist Police Chief Saksira Puek-am revealed that the operation was conducted as part of a broader crime suppression effort targeting illegal activities, including drug trafficking and unauthorised foreign workers, from July 19 to July 23. The raid was led by Winich Boonchit and involved coordination with various local agencies.

Kenneth was apprehended in a hotel on Koh Pha Ngan. Police found him in possession of two packages of white powdery cocaine wrapped in black plastic. One package weighed 21.4 grammes, while the other was 10.1 grammes.

Kenneth was charged with overstaying his visa by more than 3,214 days and illegal possession of a class 2 narcotic. He was then transferred to the Koh Pha Ngan Police Station for further legal proceedings.

According to the report, officers found Kenneth standing in the hallway when they identified themselves and requested to inspect his documents. Kenneth attempted to flee to his room but was quickly detained.

He presented a copy of his passport, which showed he entered Thailand on March 17, 2015, at the Padang Besar checkpoint in Songkhla Province. His stay was authorised until October 1, 2015, but there was no record of an extension request.

Visa overstay

During a search, police discovered the cocaine packages in the left pocket of Kenneth’s jeans. Kenneth confessed that the drugs were his and intended for distribution among his foreign friends.

The investigation revealed that Kenneth was part of a Nigerian drug trafficking network operating illegally in Thailand. The gang was well-organised, with each member assigned specific roles, such as money transfers, drug stock management, and distribution. After payment confirmation, the control unit would direct the stock manager to place the drugs at designated locations and send the coordinates to customers.

The report noted that the group communicated exclusively via WhatsApp Business, which automatically deleted conversation data within one minute to avoid detection. This method ensured that no one in the network knew each other personally or could be easily traced, reported KhaoSod.

Kenneth had been staying in a luxury hotel on Koh Pha Ngan and was responsible for placing the cocaine at various drop points and sending the locations to buyers. He told the arresting officers that he practiced a form of invisibility magic, which he claimed rendered him undetectable by the police while making drug deliveries. However, he admitted that he was unprepared for the police raid this time.