A 41-year-old Nigerian man Ejimadu Uchechukwu Benjamin has been arrested in Thailand for allegedly being in possession of cocaine, the Office of the Narcotics Control Board said on Tuesday, June 22.

Benjamin was arrested on Monday at a department store in Bang Na district of Bangkok, with 79 grammes of cocaine recovered from him.

A 27-year-old local woman Nuchanart Leela, believed to be his accomplice, was also arrested at a house in Khlong Luang district of Pathum Thani. She was suspected to have been hired by the Nigerian national to receive the narcotic on his behalf.

Secretary-General of the board Wichai Chaimongkol disclosed that after officers raided a postal service company on Monday, 390 grammes of cocaine hidden in mascara tubes sent from Costa Rica to Pathum Thani and 470 grammes of heroin were discovered in a parceled photo frame.

Thai officials broke mascara tubes to seize cocaine hidden inside the containers.

The consignment was to be shipped to Australia, and Chaimongkol said his office had already shared the address with Australian police for further action.

Ejimadu becomes the third Nigerian to be arrested for drug related offences in Thailand since this year. In March, Michael ‘Marc’ Ikenna, 36, was arrested alongside his girlfriend in Northern Pattaya by the Region 2 Narcotics Suppression Division Team for alleged drug dealings.

Similarly, Davidsmith Chinazaekpere Ejiogo, 26, was arrested in January while he was making a delivery of crystal methamphetamine, cocaine and ecstasy drugs to customers in Patong.