On Tuesday, immigration police in Bangkok arrested a 26-year-old Italian national who had been living in the Thai capital under a long-stay “digital nomad” visa while sought by Italian law enforcement on drug-trafficking charges.
According to authorities, the man — identified only as “Simone” — entered Thailand in October 2025 using the five-year Destination Thailand Visa (DTV), a residency permit marketed to remote workers and long-stay travelers.
His arrest was triggered after the Italian Embassy in Thailand’s Police Attaché’s Office notified local immigration authorities of an outstanding warrant issued by a court in Asti, Italy. The suspect is accused of coordinating an international drug ring that trafficked heroin, cocaine, ketamine, MDMA, and LSD via postal parcels between September 2024 and June 2025.
Officers tracked Simone to a condominium in the Ekkamai neighborhood of Bangkok. A search conducted under a court warrant found no narcotics or contraband; nonetheless, the suspect was detained at an immigration detention facility. Thai authorities have begun coordinating with their Italian counterparts to arrange extradition.
The arrest coincides with a broader tightening of Thailand’s immigration and border-control protocols in 2025. Earlier this year, the government rolled out the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) — an online system replacing the paper TM6 arrival card — as part of a dual effort to streamline legitimate travel and curb visa misuse.
Immigration experts note the timing of the arrest is telling: as digital-nomad visas and long-stay permits like DTV become more widespread, Thai authorities appear increasingly determined to prevent their exploitation by fugitives or criminal networks.
Observers expect this case could accelerate stricter vetting for long-stay visa applicants, closer data sharing between international enforcement agencies, and tighter enforcement of residency and banking regulations for foreigners living in Thailand.
