Six Nigerian nationals have been arrested during a raid on a luxury condominium in Northaburi province in Thailand.
The suspects were arrested on suspicion of running a romance scam network, targeting women to defraud them.
According to a report by a Thai media outlet on Saturday, 24 May 2026, the operation, codenamed “Dark Room Crackdown”, was conducted on Thursday at a riverside condominium near Phra Nang Klao Bridge in Bang Kraso, Muang district.
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The arrest came following investigations into foreign criminal networks connected to suspicious transactions.
The officers received warrants issued by the Nonthaburi Provincial Court and searched three rooms, according to the Nation Thailand.
“Police seized 18 mobile phones, three laptop computers and three bank books. Investigators said the devices contained alleged romance-scam chats, scam scripts and AI-generated profile images,” The Nation Thailand reported.
The suspects, Denis, 23; Ejikeme, 24; Ibekwe, 29; Okorom, 26; Nwosu, 30; and Obielu, 35, were arrested, and five of the six had overstayed their visas.
Another Thai media outlet, Thai PBS World, reported that the Nigerians arrested had student visas and there was no evidence of them ever attending classes or having regular employment.
“Police said that the six Nigerians entered Thailand on student visas, but none of them went to any college here, nor do they have any jobs, but their bank accounts show substantial deposits,” Thai PBS World reported.
According to reports, the suspects initially refused to allow entry into the house, prompting the officers to force the door open. One of the Nigerians attempted to escape through a balcony, the report says, while another was found hiding in a bathroom attempting to alert others via text messages.
According to police investigations, the Nigerians posed as foreign professionals, including soldiers, pilots, lawyers, doctors and engineers, as fake profiles on their various platforms like Facebook, Line, Zalo, WeChat and TikTok to lure their victims.
The suspects work by establishing a relationship with their victims and, along the way, pretend to have an overseas parcel that has been held by customs. They demand money for its release. The victims were reported to have been older Thai women.
The six Nigerians were transferred to Rattanathibet Police Station alongside the seized evidence.
Police initially charged them with membership of a secret society and overstaying their permission to remain in Thailand. However, investigators said the romance scam will be added to the charges after coordinating with the victims.
The Nation Thailand reported that all six suspects confessed to the initial charges at the point of arrest.
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