A 36-year-old Nigerian man has been arrested in Bangkok following a police operation targeting what authorities describe as a cocaine trafficking network with cross-border links.
The suspect, identified by police as Ikenna Patrick Azubuike, was detained on June 9, 2026 outside a condominium on Rama III Road in the Yannawa area after a late-night interception turned into a brief confrontation with officers.
According to the Metropolitan Police Bureau, officers blocked his vehicle as he entered the residential complex. Investigators say he attempted to escape by reversing into the police team, injuring several officers before the vehicle was disabled and he was taken into custody.
Police say a search of the vehicle uncovered about 18 grams of cocaine. A follow-up search of his condominium led to the recovery of cash, assets, and financial holdings valued at around 700,000 baht, along with a vehicle.
The arrest is linked to a wider investigation into an alleged drug and financial network operating under the name “Dodorima.” Authorities describe the group as part of a broader structure involved in cocaine distribution and cross-border financial movements.
The case began after an earlier raid on May 22 in Nonthaburi, where six foreign nationals were arrested in a separate operation targeting suspected romance scam activity. Investigators later say they found links between that case and cocaine trafficking channels connected to a larger criminal network.
Police allege that the organisation has moved large sums through financial channels, with estimates of more than 380 million baht flowing through related accounts in the past year. They also believe the network used business fronts and social initiatives to conceal illicit activity while moving funds across borders, including transfers to Nigeria.
Investigators say Azubuike had lived in Thailand for more than seven years and allegedly progressed from street-level drug activity in tourist areas to a more central role within the network’s operations.
During questioning, he admitted involvement with cocaine but denied allegations of money laundering. He told investigators that the group’s financial dealings were linked to a fish export business between Thailand and Nigeria. He also said the name “Dodorima” simply means “hello.”
The Metropolitan Police Bureau says the investigation is ongoing, with efforts focused on tracing financial flows and identifying additional suspects connected to the network. Authorities say seized assets have been handed over to the Office of the Narcotics Control Board for further analysis, while possible money laundering charges are still under review.
