Cyber fraud ring bust in Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone
Vietnamese and Lao police have successfully dismantled a large-scale cyber fraud operation in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone in the Lao province of Bokeo, arresting 155 Vietnamese nationals involved in sophisticated, cross-border fraudulent activities.
The central province of Ha Tinh's public security force reported that a raid on August 2 led to the arrest of 154 suspects and the seizure of nearly 100 passports, drugs, computers, phones, SIM cards, and other criminal paraphernalia. The alleged ringleader, Hoang Bich Ngoc, 30, was apprehended at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi.
In late 2023, fraud rings operating in Southeast Asia, including Cambodia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Myanmar and Vietnam, began shifting their activities to the Golden Triangle Economic Zone.
To expand their operations, they lured and enticed Vietnamese individuals to enter the area illegally through border crossings, offering attractive money wages ranging from VND18-VND30 million (US$750-US$1,250) to engage in fraudulent activities.