Thai police, accompanied by US drug enforcement officers, arrested 12 Africans on charges of drug dealing and seized crystal methamphetamine pills and five kilogrammes of marijuana in a joint operation in Bangkok on Wednesday morning, police said.
None of the suspects had current visas, and some could not produce passports, police said.
An 80-strong team from the Narcotics Suppression Bureau, the Immigration Police Bureau and the US Drug Enforcement Administration executed 12 search warrants in a raid on a five-storey apartment building in Bangkok's Bang Kapi district.
During the operation, police found five kilogrammes of marijuana in a room on the third floor of the building. A 27-year-old man from Guinea who was in the room attempted to escape by jumping from the balcony. He suffered a broken leg and was taken to Police Hospital.
In another room on the fifth floor, police found a 32-year-old Nigerian who threw crystal methamphetamine pills, commonly known as "ice", into the toilet.
Police arrested a total of 12 Africans on charges of drug dealing. Their visas had expired and some of them do not have passports, police said.
Empty bottles of cough syrup were found in a garbage bin in front of the building. They were believed used for making "4x100", an illegal drug made by mixing kratom leaves and cough syrup, according to police.
Narcotics Suppression Bureau (NSB) deputy chief Chatchai Sirisabphya said an undercover agent on Saturday bought crystal methamphetamine from a Nigerian man. Following his arrest, he told investigators that there were foreign drug dealers living in the apartment mansion in Bang Kapi.
After gathering further evidence and witnesses, police obtained search warrants from the court.
Pol Col Chatchai said the accused drug dealers were selling ice and marijuana to tourists in Soi Nana, Khao San Road and entertainment venues in Bangkok.
More stringent inspection of foreigners, especially those from Africa, is needed, he said.
The 12 drug suspects were being held in police custody for further investigation.
Photos by Rattaseema Pongsen