Nigerian national Ukoma Jefta Nuzbech was arrested on Koh Pha Ngan on January 14 after evading court proceedings related to an earlier drug case. Authorities acted on a tip-off regarding his location and apprehended him at a roadblock.
Nigerian Arrested for Selling Cocaine in Phuket Hospital Parking Lot
Nuzbech was originally arrested in March last year for delivering 25.71 grams of cocaine to an undercover officer. Released on bail, he subsequently failed to appear in court and went into hiding, allegedly continuing to sell drugs between Koh Samui and Koh Pha Ngan.
Police stopped the white Mitsubishi Mirage he was traveling in and, after he resisted arrest, forcibly entered the vehicle. Inside, officers found 1.18 grams of cocaine, 50,280 baht in cash, and a mobile phone containing drug transaction messages. The messages suggested a link to a 29-year-old Thai woman whose bank account QR code was allegedly used to facilitate payments.
Nuzbech now faces charges of possession with intent to sell, which carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years imprisonment and a fine of up to 1 million baht if convicted. Police are expanding their investigation to identify possible accomplices and determine the full scope of the drug network involved.
