Four men, including a Russian and 3 Nigerians, have been arrested in Phuket for allegedly selling cocaine, ecstasy and crystal methamphetamine. The deputy chief of the Immigration Bureau, says the suspects were identified as a 38 year old Russian named ‘Denis’, and Nigerians ‘Ogadinma’, 41, ‘Harisson’, 40, and ‘Solomon’, 53.
The arrests followed an investigation that began last month, following information provided to immigration police. The Russian man was initially suspected of operating an illegal car rental and cryptocurrency exchange businesses. But police discovered he was also selling cocaine for 4,000 baht per gram. He was initially nabbed in a sting operation in Wichit, where police seized 1 gram of cocaine.
Denis told police that he had bought the cocaine from Harison and Ogadinma for 3,000 baht per gram, according to The Bangkok Post. The arrest of the two Nigerians in Karon followed. Police found 1.4 grams of cocaine under the driver’s seat of their car.
In turn they declared that they had bought the drugs from Solomon. Police have named him as “a major dealer based in Chalong”.
A search of Solomon’s bungalow uncovered 855 ecstasy pills, 470 sachets of cocaine, 128 grams of crystal methamphetamine and two bank books. They also confiscated cars and 900,000 baht in cash, believed to been assets from the proceeds of their drug dealing on the island.
