Thai police have arrested six Nigerian nationals accused of operating a romance scam network from a condominium in Nonthaburi, seizing mobile phones, laptops and evidence allegedly linked to online fraud targeting elderly Thai women.
Get today's headlines by email 
The raids took place at 4pm on 22 May at three rooms inside a riverside condominium near Phra Nang Klao Bridge in Nonthaburi province. Officers from the Metropolitan Police Bureau, the Narcotics Suppression Centre and local police forces carried out Operation “Dark Room” under search warrants issued by the Nonthaburi Provincial Court.
Police said the suspects were charged with criminal association and overstaying their visas. Investigators are also coordinating with victims and local police stations to pursue additional charges related to romance scams.
Authorities seized 18 mobile phones, three laptop computers and three bank books. Investigators said the devices contained chat records, scam scripts and AI-generated face images allegedly used to deceive victims through online relationships.
The operation followed an investigation into a transnational cocaine trafficking network. On 18 April, police arrested a Nigerian suspect known only as Patrick along with three others and seized 27 grammes of cocaine and assets worth 2.5 million baht.
Pictures courtesy of ThaiRath
Police later traced suspicious financial transactions to a group of Nigerian nationals living in Nonthaburi on student visas. Officers said the group showed unusually high financial activity despite allegedly not attending classes or working.
According to investigators, the suspects used fake online profiles portraying successful foreign professionals such as pilots, American soldiers, lawyers, engineers and doctors. They contacted victims through Facebook Messenger, WeChat, TikTok, Line and Zalo before building romantic relationships online.
Police said the scammers then claimed to have sent valuable parcels from overseas, later telling victims the packages were held by customs and required transfer payments to release them. Investigators said most victims were older Thai women.
During the raids, officers reported hearing movement inside the rooms and suspected evidence was being destroyed. Police forced entry after the occupants allegedly refused to open the doors. One suspect reportedly tried to escape via a balcony while another hid inside a bathroom.
Investigators also discovered what police described as “psychological scripts” containing flirtatious and sexually suggestive dialogue designed to manipulate victims emotionally. Authorities said the group allegedly used AI technology to create moving facial images and fake video calls to make the profiles appear genuine.
Pol Maj Gen Theeradej Thamsuthee, deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, said the operation formed part of a wider government crackdown on foreign criminal networks operating illegally in Thailand.
ThaiRath reported that he warned the public to be cautious of attractive strangers online who quickly move conversations into romantic or intimate territory before requesting money. The six suspects remain in custody and were transferred to Ratthanathibet Police Station for further legal proceedings.
Join the discussion? 
Already a member? 
Adapted by ASEAN Now ThaiRath 24 May 2026