Nigerian man and Thai Wife charged with smuggling Crystal Meth in Thailand

A Nigerian man and his Thai wife have been arrested on suspicion of attempting to smuggle 9 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine hidden in shoulder bags to Hong Kong, 10 months after the contraband were recovered in Bangkok.

Police apprehended Henry Kelechi Alaeto, 24, and Wanwisa Pilatan, 24, in their room in Bangkok’s Ratchathewi district on Tuesday, Pol Maj Gen Jirabhop Bhuridej, deputy commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), told reporters on Wednesday.

According to him, the arresting team discovered 290 grammes of cocaine, worth approximately 900,000 baht, in the room.

Employees at a parcel exporting enterprise in Ratchathewi district reported a suspicious shipment bound for Hong Kong to authorities on October 20, last year.

Officers discovered 9 kilograms of crystal meth concealed in 18 of the 30 shoulder packs. The medications were wrapped in odor-masking material and brown tape.

Pol Maj Gen Jirabhop said the extended investigation found that the sender was a woman, identified later as Ms Wannisa. Her Nigerian husband drove the vehicle that took her to the parcel service office

Fingerprints found on the drug wrapping matched the husband’s, the CIB deputy chief said.

According to him, a criminal record check revealed that the man had previously been involved in the narcotics trade. Warrants were then sought for the couple’s arrest.

In a separate operation, police arrested two Nigerian men in Samut Prakan for other offences.

Iwuamadi Nnaemeka Wockson was charged with illegal entry, and Uzoma Kingsley Nnaemeka, also known as Justin Livinus Oboko, was earlier banned from entering the country after being caught on drug charges.

Officers from the Crime Suppression Division and the Immigration Bureau apprehended all four suspects after searches in four locations in Samut Prakan and Bangkok. According to Pol Maj Gen Jiraphop.