BANGKOK: Police have arrested a Nigerian suspect described as a former drug runner who allegedly rose to become the “big boss” of the transnational Dodorima gang after living in Thailand for seven years, with investigators claiming his network generated more than 380 million baht (US$11.5mil) in circulation.
Police said leaked chats found after the arrest showed members of the group mocking Thai cocaine users in crude language, reflecting what officers described as contempt for Thailand and local drug users.
The suspect, identified as Patrick, 36, was arrested in front of a luxury condominium on Rama III Road in Bang Phongphang, Yannawa district, Bangkok, at around 10pm on June 9.
The arrest was carried out under “Operation Clip the Wings of the Dodorima Gang Leader”, ordered by senior police and narcotics officials.
Police said the operation was led by Pol Maj Gen Teeradet Thumsuthee, deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau responsible for narcotics suppression, with support from the Bangkok Office of the Narcotics Control Board.
Patrick was charged with selling and possessing for sale a Category 2 narcotic, namely cocaine, without permission and for commercial purposes. He was also accused of fighting or obstructing officers while they were performing their duties.
Police said money-laundering allegations were still being investigated.
According to police, officers had been tracking Patrick before finding him driving into a luxury condominium on Rama III Road.
They moved in using a car-block tactic, but the suspect allegedly resisted arrest and reversed his vehicle into officers in an attempt to escape. Police said one officer was injured.
Pol Maj Gen Teeradet then ordered officers to break the vehicle window and stop the engine before removing the suspect from the car and taking him into custody.
A search allegedly found around 18 grammes of cocaine. Officers later searched his condominium room and seized cash and other assets.
The total value of seized assets was estimated at about 700,000 baht.
Police said their investigation found that Patrick had lived in Thailand for more than seven years and travelled between Thailand and Africa.
He allegedly began as a cocaine runner selling drugs in tourist areas before rapidly rising through the network.
Investigators claimed that in the past year alone, his network had more than 380 million baht in circulation. Police also said he had allegedly sent money back to Nigeria and built a large mansion there.
Police said the Dodorima network was not only linked to cocaine trafficking but also to romance scams and suspected money laundering.
Investigators said the group allegedly organised charity and donation activities, described by police as “merit-making tours”, to disguise illegal businesses and build relationships with well-known or influential figures.
Police said Dododrima appeared to be a Thailand-based branch linked to a wider global network called NBM of Africa.
The investigation reportedly followed an earlier operation on May 22, when officers searched a luxury condominium near Phra Nang Klao Bridge in Nonthaburi and arrested six foreign suspects linked to an alleged romance scam operation.
After the arrest, police said they found important information linked to a transnational criminal organisation, including chat messages from a secret group.
The chats allegedly included crude remarks mocking cocaine users in Thailand, which police said reflected the group’s dismissive attitude towards local users while allegedly profiting from them.
Police said Patrick gave a partial confession, admitting to matters related to cocaine but denying involvement in a money-laundering network.
He allegedly claimed the group was formed for charity and donation activities, funded by income from a fish-trading business exporting from Thailand to Nigeria.
He also reportedly told police that “Dodorima” means “hello” in Thai.
Pol Maj Gen Teeradet said the operation followed the government and Royal Thai Police’s urgent policy to crack down on foreign criminal groups using Thailand as a base for illegal businesses.
He said the suspect had shown violent behaviour during the arrest, causing injuries to officers and damage to property.
Police said the arrest marked a major step in disrupting the money-laundering cycle of a large transnational scam and drug network.
Officers will now coordinate with the ONCB and international agencies to expand the investigation into the money trail and track down all alleged accomplices, including both foreign nationals and Thais, for prosecution. - The Nation/ANN
