Thai immigration and police authorities have arrested 11 Nigerians following the bust of a suspected international romance scam syndicate in the Muang Thong Thani area of Thailand.
The arrests were made during a joint operation by security agencies and were made public on Thursday, according to reports by Thailand News.
Investigations reportedly began after a Thai woman in Nong Khai lodged a complaint late in 2025, alleging that she was defrauded by a man she met online and believed to be a foreign engineer.
Police said the victim claimed the suspect introduced himself on Facebook as a Chinese engineer and sustained a romantic relationship with her through Facebook and Line before requesting financial assistance for a supposed construction project.
She was allegedly persuaded to transfer more than two million baht into several bank accounts after the suspect claimed he could not access his funds.
Authorities said financial tracing led them to Thai account holders used for the transactions, which in turn exposed a wider organised network operating from a condominium in Nonthaburi.
According to the police, members of the syndicate had specific roles, including online impersonation, cash withdrawals and recruitment of bank account holders for fraudulent transactions.
Following intelligence reports, the Immigration Bureau Commissioner, Pol Lt Gen Phanumas Boonyaluck, ordered a coordinated raid on the apartment, where suspects were allegedly caught actively engaging in online romance scams using laptops and mobile phones.
Thirteen suspects, 11 Nigerians and two Ivorians, were arrested during the operation, with police saying some attempted to escape before being apprehended.
Authorities disclosed that eight of the suspects had overstayed their visas, while five Nigerians were said to have entered Thailand illegally through the Laos border, leading to charges related to visa overstay and unlawful entry.
Police also said 34 electronic devices were seized, containing materials allegedly linked to coordinated scams involving the impersonation of wealthy European and Asian nationals, with proceeds traced to Nigeria through cryptocurrency transactions. Investigations into the wider network are ongoing.
The arrests came barely a week after a Thailand based Nigerian, Ukoma Jefta Nuzbech, was arrested for allegedly absconding from an ongoing drug related trial in the Koh Pha Ngan area.
He was earlier arrested in March 2025 for allegedly selling 25.71 grams of cocaine to an undercover police officer.