In a major cross-border operation, police in Vietnam's Tuyen Quang province have repatriated 74 out of 205 suspects arrested in Cambodia for their alleged involvement in a transnational telecom scam that defrauded victims of hundreds of billions of dong.

On January 15, the Tuyen Quang Police Department confirmed the transfer of 74 detainees from Cambodia through the Moc Bai International Border Gate in Tay Ninh Province. The suspects are now being held by the provincial criminal investigation agency for interrogation and case development.

The arrests stem from an investigation into a vast fraud syndicate that exploited computer networks and telecommunications systems to swindle thousands of victims in Tuyen Quang and across Vietnam. Operating from Cambodian territory, the ring used various methods to gain remote access to victims' bank accounts and steal funds.

According to authorities, the group impersonated police officers, electricity company staff, and tax officials to deceive victims. They tricked targets into installing fake digital ID apps or clicking on malicious links embedded with spyware. Once the link was clicked, the malware granted the scammers control over the victim’s phone and banking apps.

On January 12, Tuyen Quang police, in coordination with the Criminal Police Department under the Ministry of Public Security, Tay Ninh provincial police, the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security’s representative agency in Cambodia, and the Royal Cambodian Police, conducted simultaneous raids across four so-called “special zones” in Cambodia: Kim Sa 1, Kim Sa 3, Titan, and Tam Thai Tu in Bavet City, Svay Rieng Province.

These raids uncovered 205 Vietnamese nationals working at what authorities described as “online fraud companies operated by Chinese nationals.” Officers confiscated 10 integrated computer systems and 25 mobile phones used in the illegal operations.

Initial findings suggest the network’s illicit activities generated hundreds of billions of dong in stolen funds. The case is considered one of the largest online fraud investigations involving Vietnamese citizens abroad.
Investigators are now working to classify and interrogate the remaining suspects, verify their roles, and build a comprehensive case for prosecution under Vietnamese law.

Anh Tam