Rattanathibet Police Station arrested a Nigerian man connected to a romance scam gang while he was conducting a transaction in front of an ATM, after noticing suspicious behavior, seizing 42 mobile phones as evidence.
At 18:00 on 20 May 2026, Pol. Col. Prut Chamruangsart, Chief of Rattanathibet Police Station, along with Pol. Lt. Col. Phusinthorn Yiphu, Deputy Chief of Investigation, Pol. Lt. Pracha Hungwolveerakul, Chief Investigator, Pol. Lt. Saharat Sueakaew, Deputy Investigator, and officers from the Rattanathibet investigation unit in Nonthaburi province jointly arrested Mr. Sinedu Heofilus Aseke, 24, a Nigerian national. They seized 42 mobile phones, 7 ATM cards from various banks, and 11,000 baht in cash. The arrest occurred in front of an ATM on Nonthaburi 1 Road near Phra Nang Klao Hospital, Bang Krasor Subdistrict, Mueang Nonthaburi District.
Pol. Col. Prut Chamruangsart said he had instructed officers to monitor foreigners in the area due to concerns about potential criminal activity. During a patrol, investigators found Mr. Sinedu Heofilus Aseke acting suspiciously while conducting a transaction in front of an ATM. Upon searching his person and bag, they found 7 mobile phones and 7 ATM cards from different banks, leading them to believe he had committed an offense. They then took him to search his condominium room in Sai Ma Subdistrict, Mueang Nonthaburi District, where they found an additional 35 mobile phones. The suspect and the evidence were brought to the police station for interrogation.
During questioning, Mr. Sinedu Heofilus Aseke denied wrongdoing and claimed that all the phones and ATM cards belonged to his 34-year-old Thai girlfriend, Arpaporn, who runs a mobile phone shop in the Ramkhamhaeng area. He said she asked him to withdraw money from various ATMs and give it to her.
Police checked the National Police War Room system and found that Ms. Arpaporn, the suspect's girlfriend, had been reported for online fraud and romance scams. She faces 23 complaints filed at various police stations, including Bang Bua Thong Police Station in Nonthaburi, Mueang Phetchabun, Mueang Lamphun, Phutthamonthon, Mueang Mukdahan, Mueang Phuket, Provincial Police Region 1, and several other jurisdictions.
After interrogation, Mr. Sinedu Heofilus Aseke and the evidence were handed over to investigators at Rattanathibet Police Station in Nonthaburi province to press charges for possessing electronic cards belonging to others with intent to use them improperly in a way likely to cause damage to others or the public.