No fewer than 11 Nigerians have been arrested after Thai immigration and police operatives busted a suspected 13-member international romance scam syndicate in the Muang Thong Thani area of Thailand.

The arrests, which were carried out on Monday, were reported by a local news platform, Thailand News, on Thursday.

According to the report, investigations began after a Thai woman filed a complaint in 2025, alleging that she was defrauded by a Facebook user with whom she had been in a romantic relationship.

The victim reportedly said the suspect, who posed as a Chinese engineer, convinced her to transfer over two million baht to a mule account.

The report stated, “The investigation began after a Thai woman in Nong Khai filed a complaint in late 2025, reporting that she had been deceived through Facebook and Line by a profile posing as a Chinese engineer named ‘Bingwen Fu.’

“After building a romantic relationship, the scammer claimed to be unable to access funds for a construction project and convinced the victim to transfer over two million baht into mule accounts.

“Police traced the transactions, charged the Thai account holders, and later identified the organised network behind the scheme. The group operated from a condominium in Nonthaburi, with members assigned specific roles such as scammers, money withdrawers, and account recruiters.”

The report noted that following intelligence gathered, the Immigration Bureau Commissioner, Pol Lt Gen Phanumas Boonyaluck, ordered a joint operation, during which officers discovered the suspects actively conducting live romance scams on electronic devices.

It added that 13 suspects—comprising 11 Nigerians and two Ivorians—were arrested at the hideout, noting that some attempted to flee barefoot but were apprehended.

“Eight suspects had overstayed their visas, while five Nigerians were admitted to entering Thailand illegally through the Laos border. All face charges relating to visa overstay and illegal entry.

“Authorities seized 34 electronic devices, including computers and mobile phones, which contained evidence of coordinated scams involving impersonation of wealthy European and Asian nationals to target Thai and foreign women.

“Investigators also uncovered links to the Nong Khai case and evidence that funds were transferred to Nigeria via cryptocurrency. Police are expanding the investigation to dismantle the wider network and identify additional accomplices,” the report added.

The arrests came barely one week after another Nigerian was apprehended in Thailand for alleged drug-related offences. (The PUNCH)

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