The city’s Immigration Management Department is coordinating with local police units and related agencies to screen and process groups of foreigners suspected of illegal entry, illegal residence and online scam activities.

In one of the latest operations, immigration police and officers from Thuan Giao Ward Police conducted a surprise inspection at the B.L. hotel in Binh Giao neighborhood.

Authorities discovered 85 Chinese nationals staying at the hotel.

Investigators also found that the group had been installing a system containing around 400 devices, including laptops, tablets and mobile phones, suspected of being intended for online fraud operations.

Photos released by police showed large numbers of electronic devices stacked inside rooms at the hotel.

Authorities identified the alleged ringleaders as a Chinese couple identified as H.G., born in 1989, and Q.M., born in 1998.

According to investigators, H.G. previously worked as a manager at an online scam center in Cambodia.

In May, the couple allegedly entered Vietnam and rented the entire B.L. hotel for VND315 million ($12,100) per month to organize a new scam operation.

Police said most members of the group came from China’s Guangzhou and Guangxi regions.

Among them, 17 individuals were found to have entered Vietnam illegally.

Investigators said the suspects had their identification documents confiscated by the couple upon arrival in Vietnam before being taken to the hotel for training ahead of the alleged scam activities.

On May 20, immigration police also coordinated with officers in Thanh My Tay Ward to inspect an apartment in a high-end urban area suspected of hosting online fraud operations.

At the apartment, authorities found 11 Chinese nationals along with electronic equipment suspected of being linked to cyber fraud.

In another operation during the same crackdown, police inspected a hotel in Cho Lon Ward and found 30 Philippine nationals staying there.

The group told investigators they had traveled to Vietnam under the direction of five Taiwanese individuals from China.

Most of them had entered Vietnam from Cambodia, while others arrived from Malaysia.

Police determined that the five Taiwanese suspects had previously been involved in operating an online scam ring in Cambodia before allegedly attempting to establish a new base in Ho Chi Minh City.

Authorities said the operation was uncovered before the group could fully launch its activities.