Nigerian man and his Thai wife arrested as police bust transnational cocaine trafficking ring in Thailand

A crackdown on a transnational cocaine trafficking ring in Koh Phangan, Thailand has led to the arrest of a Nigerian man, his Thai wife and a Canadian. 

Police on Koh Phangan in Surat Thani province on Wednesday, January 28, 2026 said they worked with related agencies to dismantle the network following patrols in Ban Tai subdistrict. 

At 9.30 p.m. on Monday, the Tourist Police team spotted Mr. Kanan (surname withheld), 40, a Canadian national, suspiciously riding a motorcycle while wearing black clothes and using a scarf to conceal his face in Ban Tai subdistrict. 

A search uncovered two bags of cocaine hidden in a stainless steel container placed up his sleeve and methamphetamine paraphernalia in his room. 

Phone records clearly indicated that the drug delivery was arranged at the location where the arrest took place. 

Upon being questioned Kanan admitted to having obtained the drug from a man known as “Maria KPG.” 

Authorities then mounted a sting operation to buy 2 grammes of cocaine from “Maria KPG.”

A white sedan arrived at the meeting point, where officers arrested two more suspects: John Chukwudi Ukadike, 43, a Nigerian national, and his Thai wife, identified as Mintra, whose surname was withheld. 

Cocaine was found wrapped in black tape and hidden under the carpet of their sedan. 

Mintra later told police that John did not have a stable job so frequently delivered drugs to tourists at night. 

Kanan was charged with possession of cocaine for sale, cocaine use and driving under the influence of drugs. 

John and Mintra were charged with jointly selling cocaine for commercial purposes, while John also faces a drug use charge. 

All three suspects and the seized evidence were taken to Koh Phangan police station for further legal proceedings, as authorities continue to expand the investigation into related networks.

A crackdown on a transnational cocaine trafficking ring in Koh Phangan, Thailand has led to the arrest of a Nigerian man, his Thai wife and a Canadian. 

Police on Koh Phangan in Surat Thani province on Wednesday, January 28, 2026 said they worked with related agencies to dismantle the network following patrols in Ban Tai subdistrict. 

At 9.30 p.m. on Monday, the Tourist Police team spotted Mr. Kanan (surname withheld), 40, a Canadian national, suspiciously riding a motorcycle while wearing black clothes and using a scarf to conceal his face in Ban Tai subdistrict. 

A search uncovered two bags of cocaine hidden in a stainless steel container placed up his sleeve and methamphetamine paraphernalia in his room. 

Phone records clearly indicated that the drug delivery was arranged at the location where the arrest took place. 

Upon being questioned Kanan admitted to having obtained the drug from a man known as “Maria KPG.” 

Authorities then mounted a sting operation to buy 2 grammes of cocaine from “Maria KPG.”

A white sedan arrived at the meeting point, where officers arrested two more suspects: John Chukwudi Ukadike, 43, a Nigerian national, and his Thai wife, identified as Mintra, whose surname was withheld. 

Cocaine was found wrapped in black tape and hidden under the carpet of their sedan. 

Mintra later told police that John did not have a stable job so frequently delivered drugs to tourists at night. 

Kanan was charged with possession of cocaine for sale, cocaine use and driving under the influence of drugs. 

John and Mintra were charged with jointly selling cocaine for commercial purposes, while John also faces a drug use charge. 

All three suspects and the seized evidence were taken to Koh Phangan police station for further legal proceedings, as authorities continue to expand the investigation into related networks.