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| The police arrest 155 fraudsters. — Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Public Security |
HÀ NỘI — Vietnamese and Lao police have successfully dismantled a large-scale human trafficking and online fraud ring, the Ministry of Public Security (MoPS) announced yesterday.
The operation led to the arrest of 155 Vietnamese traffickers operating in the Golden Triangle zone, located in Bokeo Province, Laos.
According to the MoPS, since the beginning of this year, the Hà Tĩnh Province Criminal Police Department has been receiving continuous reports of individuals being swindled out of billions of đồng (VNĐ1 billion equals US$39,600) using similar methods.
Police also received numerous pleas for help from families whose children had been lured to Laos with promises of easy work and high salaries. However, upon arrival, they were forced into criminal activities and prevented from leaving as their documents were confiscated and they were closely monitored.
The Vietnamese police uncovered a cross-border criminal ring involved in various crimes, including human trafficking, organising illegal border crossings, and large-scale online fraud.
The ring operated under the guise of a legally licensed enterprise, structured like a large company with full management oversight. The fake enterprise was divided into teams, each operating under strict rules set by their leaders.
Profits were divided based on the amount of money defrauded each month, with each fraudster trained to follow carefully crafted scenarios.
Accommodations, including living and working spaces, were arranged in high-rise buildings within the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone in Bokeo Province, Laos. This area contains over 200 high-rise buildings, each ranging from 20 to 25 floors, housing hundreds of thousands of people.
Security forces hired by the foreign masterminds guarded each building, making it extremely difficult to pinpoint the exact locations of the fraudsters.
The perpetrators used fake Facebook accounts, impersonating successful and wealthy businessmen. They regularly posted pictures of parties and travels to befriend and gain the trust of people in Việt Nam.
The victims were often wealthy women with extensive social connections.
The fraudsters would gradually build emotional relationships and gain the victims' trust, then persuade them to invest in online businesses through applications or websites such as https://hotel-oyo.cc, promising high returns.
Initially, the victims saw substantial profits. However, as they invested more money, the fraudsters eventually blocked all contact and absconded with the victims' funds.
Using this method, the criminal ring swindled tens of thousands of victims, amassing hundreds of billions of đồng over two years.
After arresting six human traffickers and rescuing 36 victims taken to Laos in May, the police deployed numerous professional measures and mobilised maximum forces to gather evidence against this extensive criminal ring.
Under the MoPS's direction, and with close coordination between Vietnamese and Lao police, task forces breached security on the morning of August 2 and approached the fraudsters' offices, located between the third and eleventh floors of a building.
The swindlers attempted to flee, destroying evidence as they went. After more than four hours of pursuit, police arrested 155 individuals, seizing nearly 100 passports, 74 ecstasy pills, dozens of computers, nearly 500 mobile phones, thousands of unregistered SIM cards, and numerous other tools and documents used for fraud.
"This is an exceptionally outstanding achievement by the Vietnamese and Lao police in the fight against transnational cybercrime, contributing to the stabilisation of the political situation and social order and safety of both countries," the MoPS stated.
The case is currently under further investigation. VNS
