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Police interrogate Luo Shenghua, identified as the mastermind of the operation. Photo: CACC

On August 26, the Ho Chi Minh City Police announced that they had successfully dismantled a kidnapping ring and rescued three South Korean nationals who were being unlawfully detained and coerced in Lai Thieu Ward.

The city's Criminal Police Department has launched a criminal investigation and arrested four individuals: Luo Shenghua (alias Nam, Chinese national), Vong Quang Tuan (41, from Dong Nai), Nguyen Thanh Phuc (38, from Can Tho), and Le Van Kieu (25, from Ca Mau). They are all charged with “unlawful detention.” Authorities are continuing to search for additional suspects involved.

Earlier, on August 19, Lai Thieu Ward Police received a tip-off from the South Korean Embassy in Vietnam about the illegal detention of three Korean nationals. Immediately, the Ho Chi Minh City Criminal Police, in coordination with relevant units, began verifying the information. They located the victims in an apartment at the Emerald Golf View complex in Lai Thieu Ward.

By 6:00 p.m. the same day, law enforcement raided the apartment, catching two suspects red-handed as they held the three South Korean citizens inside.

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One of the hired guards who watched over the victims. Photo: CACC

Initial investigations revealed that Luo Shenghua was the ringleader. The victims had been lured via social media with offers of high-paying, light work in Vietnam. After submitting their passport photos, they were provided plane tickets and entered Vietnam through Tan Son Nhat Airport on August 14.

However, instead of being taken to workplaces, the group was transported from a hotel in Thuan Giao Ward to an apartment in the Emerald Golf View complex. There, they were forced to either sell their bank accounts or pay 4.5 million won (about $3,270 USD) to be released and allowed to return to South Korea.

Police determined that Luo Shenghua directly oversaw the operation and hired Vong Quang Tuan, Nguyen Thanh Phuc, and Le Van Kieu to guard the victims. These guards were promised daily payments ranging from 500,000 to 1,000,000 VND (approximately $20–$40 USD per person).

Ho Chi Minh City Police have stated that they will expand the investigation in collaboration with other provincial and municipal law enforcement agencies to uncover the broader human trafficking network that lures foreigners into Vietnam under false pretenses.

Authorities are urging the public to remain cautious about online job advertisements offering “easy work, high pay” to avoid falling victim to scams or exploitation.

Dam De