BANGKOK – A major anti-narcotics operation in Bangkok’s Nana district has resulted in the arrest of nine individuals, including eight Nigerian nationals and one Thai accomplice. The coordinated midnight raid, dubbed “Breaking the Black-Shadow Nana,” was conducted jointly by the Metropolitan Police Bureau and Narcotics Suppression Bureau, marking one of the most significant street-level drug busts in the capital this year.

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The operation commenced just after midnight on October 26, 2025, following intelligence reports of organized drug sales targeting tourists along Sukhumvit Soi 11 in Watthana District. Under the direction of National Police Chief Kittirat Phanphet, authorities apprehended eight African men aged between 23 and 41, along with 36-year-old Thai national Panuwat “Pum” whose full identity was not disclosed. During the raid, police confiscated two small bags of cocaine weighing four grams and eleven mobile phones containing evidence of drug transactions.

Authorities revealed that the investigation was launched in response to government directives to enhance security in tourist zones for sustainable tourism development. Police had been monitoring online travel forums, including Reddit’s ThailandTourism community, where numerous tourists reported being approached by African men in the Nana area offering drugs and engaging in scams. Undercover officers disguised as construction workers subsequently observed the suspects selling cocaine to foreign tourists, prompting immediate intervention.

In a Hollywood-style operation dubbed “Take Down Black-Shadow Nana,” Bangkok Metropolitan Police and 40 anti-narcotics officers disguised as construction workers conducted a dramatic pre-dawn raid. #Antinarcoticos #Nana #bangkok #thailand https://t.co/kY2H87rGw9

— Khaosod English (@KhaosodEnglish) October 27, 2025

According to Police Major General Teeradej Thammasuthee, Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, the drug network employed sophisticated smuggling techniques. Members reportedly stored drugs in their mouths and swallowed tightly-wrapped cocaine packets when approached by authorities or suspicious individuals. According to local media, the suspects allegedly smuggled the substances into Thailand by ingesting them before flights and retrieving the packets after arrival for distribution in popular tourist areas including Nana and Asoke.

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Following the arrests, all suspects were transported to Narcotics Suppression Division 1 for questioning and legal processing. Officers are currently monitoring the detainees while awaiting the excretion of swallowed drug packets to gather additional evidence. Police noted that numerous tourists expressed appreciation during the operation, acknowledging that such criminal activities had been damaging Bangkok’s tourism reputation. Senior commanders have ordered continued crackdowns on transnational crime networks throughout metropolitan areas to restore visitor confidence and ensure public safety.

-Thailand News (TN)