Nigerian drug lord Ugomwa J was arrested in a Ko Phangan sting after selling cocaine to undercover police. Officers seized 25.71 grams of cocaine worth ฿240,000 and his Mazda. Authorities say the island, popular with young Western tourists, is a key drug hub.
Ko Phangan on Friday night arrested a key drug distributor on the holiday island. 37-year-old Nigerian Ugomwa J was taken into custody near the Pantip Plaza Shopping Centre on the island. His arrest followed a sting operation in which cocaine was sold to undercover officers. The arrest is part of a concerted effort against illicit narcotic networks not only on Ko Phangan but also on Ko Samui. Both are extremely popular with Western tourists, especially younger visitors who are often linked with illicit drug culture which is flourishing on Ko Phangan.
Police on Ko Phangan in southern Surat Thani province have announced the takedown of a top drug dealer on the island. Ko Phangan is one of the most popular tourist hotspots for foreign tourists visiting Thailand.
In particular, the island has become popular with Western travellers interested in drug culture.
Therefore, it is not surprising that the island is serviced by drug networks controlled by foreign players.
Undercover operation on Ko Phangan leads to arrest of suspected drug lord in central shopping district
However, on Friday night, March 1st, Ko Phangan struck back and arrested at least one of these drug lords. Identified as Mr. Ugomwa J, the 37-year-old was arrested in a sting operation. This went down near the Pantip Plaza shopping mall in the central district of the island.
Before that, Mr. Ugomwa was contacted by undercover police. They had previously obtained his WhatsApp details from an informant. He agreed to supply a quantity of cocaine.
Officers rendezvoused with the suspect on Friday evening. At length, he was driving a black Mazda vehicle. After paying over money and accepting the cocaine, the police officer quickly tested the substance. Once it was confirmed to be cocaine, they moved in to arrest the Nigerian.
Police recover ฿240,000 worth of cocaine and seize suspect’s Mazda during sting operation on Ko Phangan
Certainly, the police had positioned undercover officers to observe the sting operation and prevent Ugowma’s escape in case he tried to flee.
Afterwards, police found 25.71 grams of cocaine in the vehicle. The cocaine had a street value of ฿240,000. In brief, Mr. Ugomwa was arrested for possession of category 2 illicit narcotics with intent to sell. Furthermore, he was charged with being engaged in the distribution of illicit drugs on Ko Phangan.
Under questioning by investigators, the Nigerian told police that he distributed drugs throughout southern Thailand. For instance, he sent drugs to Krabi, Ko Samui, and Phuket. The Nigerian used messengers and mules to carry out clandestine deals, all orchestrated through his social media accounts.
Police seized his Mazda vehicle, which was forensically examined, in addition to two smartphones. These will certainly be used for intelligence gathering and further questioning of the suspect.
Arrest exposes Ko Phangan’s role as a drug tourism hotspot popular with young Western backpackers
At this time, police have learned that the drug dealer charged $175 or ฿6,000 for the supply of 1-gram packages of the recreational drug to users on the island. Ko Phangan, in particular, has become a mecca for Western visitors, especially young backpackers.
Often, those types of tourists are interested in drug culture. Certainly, the island’s famous Full Moon Parties are linked with the consumption of illicit narcotics. Illicit drugs such as cocaine are freely available through drug networks. In addition, since 2022, the sale of cannabis through retail dispensaries is perfectly legal on the island.
Nonetheless, in the last year, Thai government task forces have been targeting this drug free-for-all on both Ko Phangan and Ko Samui. The unit is based on Ko Samui and works closely with local police forces.
Authorities link Nigerian drug gangs on Ko Phangan to wider transnational crime and online scam networks
Previously, drug dealing on Ko Phangan and other tourist hotspots in Surat Thani has been linked to Nigerian gangs. At length, these gangs, with links to Malaysia, are involved in both drug dealing and online scam operations.
Trouble in cannabis paradise on Ko Phangan as two smiling thieves make off with a shop owner’s weed
International drug ring smashed on Ko Phangan supplying illicit narcotics to partying foreign tourists
In turn, the gangs in both countries are known to be controlled from Nigeria. This sprawling crime empire now extends to Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
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Further reading:
Trouble in cannabis paradise on Ko Phangan as two smiling thieves make off with a shop owner’s weed
Magic loses its touch: ‘invisible’ drug dealing Nigerian nabbed by cops in Ko Phangan Hotel swoop
Nigerian drug dealer betrayed in Phuket as local police receive tip-off that led them to his arrest
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Top Thai and US drug suppression officials warn of the use of cryptocurrencies in the drug trade
Drug police put retraction behind them to smash billion baht Myanmar drug operation in Bangkok raid
