Gang of foreign romance scammers who preyed on lonely Thai women busted by Tourist Police

Deputy Tourist Police Chief Surachate Hakparn on Saturday announced the arrest of a gang of foreign men and two Thai women accused of running so called romance scams targeting lonely Thai women.

The foreign members of the gang were identified as:

Mr. Eriri Franklin, 23 from Nigeria

Mr. Pedro Da Silva, 28, from Guinea-Bissau

Mr. Marcelinus Chijioke Mbakwe, 32, from Nigeria

Mr. Ogochukwu John Obioha, 30, from Nigeria

Mr. Nnamdi Barnabas Agubosim, 32, from Nigeria

Mr. Emmanuel Kasujja, 37, from Uganda

Police say the gang befriended Thai women on Facebook using fake profiles claiming to be foreign men who were members of the US military.

Using a well known tactic of romance scammers operating in Thailand the gang told their victims they had sent them an expensive gift which had been held up at customs at Suvarnabhumi.

The gang then asked the victim to wire money to a Thai helper in order to pay for the gift to clear customs.

However, when the victim transferred the money they never received the gift and they never again heard from the mystery foreign man on Facebook.

Police say the gang were operating out of an address in Kathu, Phuket and were arrested after receiving a complaint from a woman in Buriram.

Following the arrest of the gang policed seized and array of mobile phones, laptop computers, bank books and ATM cards.

Police added that all the men had overstayed their visas.

Thai visa / Goo.gl

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