Nigerian drug dealer arrested on Koh Phangan. 3214 days visa overstay!

Tourist police arrested a Nigerian man for cocaine possession and overstaying for nearly nine years on Koh Phangan island.

Police from Tourist Police Division 3 apprehended Kenneth Nnwanelobi, 47, at a hotel in Moo 8 of Tambon Koh Phangan on Saturday. The arrest was part of a crackdown on foreigners doing restricted jobs and illegal activities on this tourist island.

Tourist police inspector Pol Lt Col Winit Boonchit, who led the team, said Mr Nnwanelobi was allegedly part of a Nigerian-led, well-organised drug syndicate. The Nigerian was standing in the hotel’s corridor when police asked to see his passport, but he tried to flee into his room. A subsequent search found two packets of cocaine weighing 31.5 grammes in the front-left pocket of his jeans. Mr Kenneth admitted that the seized cocaine belonged to him and it was for sale to foreign buyers.

3,214 days overstay

“A further probe found he entered Thailand through the Padang Besar border checkpoint in Songkhla province on March 17, 2015 and was allowed to stay until October 1, 2015. He overstayed for 3,214 days,” Pol Lt Col Winit said.

Mr Nnwanelobi’s role in the gang was placing cocaine packets at places and sending pickup locations to customers. He claimed he had a magical mantra and he would recite it to make him invincible to police before leaving a hotel to hide the drug.

“But this time I really didn’t see it (the arrest) coming.” the Nigerian suspect said. 

Read the full story at Bangkok Post – Nigerian arrested on Thailand’s Phangan island for selling cocaine, overstay which was brought to us by Google Alerts.

Photo credit @ Bangkok Post Assawin Pakkawan