Pictures courtesy of Matichon

 

Thai police have arrested nine suspects, including eight African nationals and one Thai, during a midnight anti-narcotics operation in Bangkok’s Nana area. The coordinated raid, named “Breaking the Black-Shadow Nana”, was conducted jointly by the Metropolitan Police Bureau and the Narcotics Suppression Bureau. Officers seized cocaine and multiple mobile phones allegedly used in the drug trade, marking one of the most significant street-level drug busts in the city this year.

 

The operation began just after midnight on October 26, 2025, under the direction of Police General Kittirat Phanphet, National Police Chief, and senior officers from several divisions. The arrests took place along Sukhumvit Soi 11 in Watthana District after intelligence pointed to organised drug sales targeting tourists. Nine suspects were detained, eight Nigerian men aged between 23 and 41, and one 36-year-old Thai man identified as Panuwat, or “Pum.” Police recovered two small bags of cocaine weighing four grams and are awaiting further evidence from suspects who reportedly swallowed drug packets to avoid detection. Eleven mobile phones containing messages about drug transactions were also seized.

 

Authorities said the investigation followed government orders to intensify security in tourist zones to support “sustainable tourism.” Police had been monitoring online travel forums, including Reddit’s “ThailandTourism” community, where users had reported persistent warnings about African men in the Nana area allegedly selling drugs, scamming tourists and committing theft. In response, undercover officers disguised themselves as construction workers and patrolled the area. The suspects were observed selling cocaine to two foreign tourists, prompting the officers to move in and arrest them.

 

Police Major General Teeradej Thammasuthee, Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, said the gang used sophisticated tactics, including storing drugs in their mouths and swallowing them when approached by Thai nationals or suspected officers. He added that members of the network had smuggled cocaine into Thailand by swallowing tightly wrapped packets before boarding flights. After arrival, the drugs were retrieved for distribution in tourist areas such as Nana and Asoke.

 

Following the arrests, suspects were taken to the Narcotics Suppression Division 1 for questioning and legal proceedings. Officers are monitoring the detainees and awaiting excretion of swallowed drugs to collect further evidence. Police said many tourists expressed gratitude during the operation, noting that the group’s activities had tarnished Bangkok’s tourism reputation. Senior commanders have ordered continued crackdowns on transnational crime in all metropolitan areas to restore visitor confidence.

 

 

Key Takeaways

 

• Police arrested eight African nationals and one Thai in the “Black-Shadow Nana” anti-drug operation in Sukhumvit Soi 11.

• Suspects allegedly sold cocaine to tourists and used concealment methods such as swallowing drug packets.

• Authorities vow to expand the crackdown to protect Thailand’s tourism image and deter cross-border drug networks.

 

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  Adapted  by  Asean  Now from Matichon 2025-10-26

 

 

 

 

 

street-level drug busts

 

These can easily be replaced, needs going after the 'drug bosses' to make any real impact

47 minutes ago, Georgealbert said:

Police Major General Teeradej Thammasuthee, Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, said the gang used sophisticated tactics, including storing drugs in their mouths and swallowing them when approached by Thai nationals or suspected officers

 

Highly sophisticated 

12 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

including Reddit’s “ThailandTourism” community, where users had reported persistent warnings about African men in the Nana area allegedly selling drugs, scamming tourists and committing theft. In response, undercover officers disguised themselves as construction workers and patrolled the area.

 

That is a stroke of genius!

Getting reconaissance from online forums and disguising themselves as construction workers.

 

11 hours ago, JoePai said:

needs going after the 'drug bosses' to make any real impact

where? in nigeria? 

 

Cleaning up the streets. Good job

Off topic troll post removed @Rocky Sullivan this is not about Trump.

I certainly hope “due process “ is followed in accordance with Thai law. 

39 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

where? in nigeria? 

 

If necessary yes - anywhere - but cocaine does not come from Nigeria

33 minutes ago, FruitPudding said:

Cleaning up the streets. Good job

Round them all up. So annoying.

45 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

 

That is a stroke of genius!

Getting reconaissance from online forums and disguising themselves as construction workers.

 

Or they could have just looked out the window of their police box on the corner of Nana where African men have been offering drugs to people for so many years. 

4 hours ago, sungod said:

Or they could have just looked out the window of their police box on the corner of Nana where African men have been offering drugs to people for so many years. 

I always understood they were under police protection. 

Only about another 80 to go along the stretch from Nana to Asoke!

Amazing.  How many decades have these drug sellers been active along lower Sukhumvit?  At least 3 decades if my memory is correct.

22 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

Police had been monitoring online travel forums, including Reddit’s “ThailandTourism” community, where users had reported persistent warnings about African men in the Nana area allegedly selling drugs, scamming tourists and committing theft.

Long overdue

Now to clean out all those horrible African hookers along soi 4

Love the last bathroom scene 😄 Did milk do the job? 💩 Would be problematic for me with an audience ...

22 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

'Black-Shadow Nana’ Drug Gang

 

Nine suspects were detained, eight Nigerian men

Appropriate name. 

 

😂

21 hours ago, FruitPudding said:

Cleaning up the streets. Good job

Yup, 8 down and only 500 more to go. Huge progress!

23 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

African men in the Nana area allegedly selling drugs, scamming tourists and committing theft.

You mean they aren't really here to study with their student visas? Well, I'll be blowed!

So from now on dressing as Bob The Builder likely guarantees a hassle-free sidewalk experience in Nana!

would be easy to clean up, stop everyone of them and check their passports.

5 minutes ago, stupidfarang said:

would be easy to clean up, stop everyone of them and check their passports.

Unless they are using passports from another country, how does a young, Nigerian male even obtain a visa for Thailand? I thought it's nearly impossible for them to get one. 

They should have maybe thought why has a bunch of construction workers suddenly appeared in the area where no building is going on and why are they all wearing hats with spray paint on them and brand new hi visibility straps 🙄

23 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

the gang used sophisticated tactics, including storing drugs in their mouths ... members of the network had smuggled cocaine into Thailand by swallowing tightly wrapped packets before boarding flights. After arrival, the drugs were retrieved for distribution

Ugh. I'm sure people who have used their "services" would be happy to know exactly how they were stored before being placed in their hands. (then again *** those people for perpetuating and funding the problem)

 

Regardless- about damn time. These scumbags have been openly selling drugs for years, if not decades. Last time I was walking on soi 11 I was offered drugs about once a minute. They weren't shy about it, at all.

 

It really begs the questions: why has this not been done sooner? what about the other hundreds of African dealers and mafia? what about the dealers who'll replace them on soi 11 in a week if not less? and what about the African prostitutes who have been swarming soi 4, Nana, soi 11, and even upper scale clubs? They have multiplied like crazy in recent years - very likely due to decreased visa scrutiny. Send them home.

35 minutes ago, JimHuaHin said:

Amazing.  How many decades have these drug sellers been active along lower Sukhumvit?  At least 3 decades if my memory is correct.

 

Yes.

 

To be fair, before Reddit, there was no way police could have known what was going on...

 

every day and night, year after year...

21 hours ago, sungod said:

Or they could have just looked out the window of their police box on the corner of Nana where African men have been offering drugs to people for so many years. 

I personally have never seen the Africans in that area. They are usually up at the Nana Station stairs and around Soi 13.

 

 

19 minutes ago, PingRoundTheWorld said:

Ugh. I'm sure people who have used their "services" would be happy to know exactly how they were stored before being placed in their hands. (then again *** those people for perpetuating and funding the problem)

 

Regardless- about damn time. These scumbags have been openly selling drugs for years, if not decades. Last time I was walking on soi 11 I was offered drugs about once a minute. They weren't shy about it, at all.

 

It really begs the questions: why has this not been done sooner? what about the other hundreds of African dealers and mafia? what about the dealers who'll replace them on soi 11 in a week if not less? and what about the African prostitutes who have been swarming soi 4, Nana, soi 11, and even upper scale clubs? They have multiplied like crazy in recent years - very likely due to decreased visa scrutiny. Send them home.

These guys have been a problem in Thailand since the eighties. It's not going to change. Every now and then you get a small sweep like this, lots of photos get taken for the media, big show of it, and then it all comes oozing back like a persistent butt rash. Too much money involved in order to ever stop it. They bring one drug in and take another one out. Same in Malaysia, India, Vietnam, Cambodia, Philippines, Indonesia, South Korea, China, and Singapore. Seems that in Thailand it is the most blatant of all the places though.

19 minutes ago, ronster said:

They should have maybe thought why has a bunch of construction workers suddenly appeared in the area where no building is going on and why are they all wearing hats with spray paint on them and brand new hi visibility straps 🙄

and they are not Burmese