Eight Nigerian men arrested in Thailand for online romance scam

Eight Nigerian men arrested in Thailand alongside six others for engaging in online romance scam, are currently being paraded by the Police in the Asian country.

The men reportedly engaged in swindling nearly Bt2 million from Thai women in Ratchaburi, Samut Sakhon, Phitsanulok, Chon Buri and Bangkok’s Dusit district.

Deputy Tourist Police chief Maj-General Surachate Hakpan told a press conference on Monday, August 6, that the investigation began after complaints from victims – each of whom wired between Bt300,000 and Bt500,000 to the gang.

He said that the Thai suspects – including at least four Thai women – aided the gang by opening bank accounts and withdrawing cash for the foreign suspects.

Despite the Thai suspects’ claim of innocence, he said they would face a charge of public fraud and abetting trans-national crimes, which is punishable with up to 10 years imprisonment.

In another news, just yesterday, another Nigerian man identified as Chinedu Victor Okeke was arrested in Thailand for drug possession. His arrest came after a tip off to the Police, but not until when he led them in a wild chase.

But the police and soldiers in hot pursuit caught him and brought him back to his house.

A search found that the suspect had hidden 4 bags of powder cocaine, weighing 2.5 grams, behind an electrical switch. Within a box containing imported alcohol was hidden 12 bags holding 11.3 grams of cocaine cubes and 27 tubes of the same drug weighing 271.6 grams.