Vientiane:Police have conducted a significant raid in Changkhou Village, Xaythany District, uncovering an illicit cybercrime syndicate involved in online gambling and fraud schemes. The operation led to the arrest of 27 foreign nationals.
According to Lao News Agency, the raid resulted in the apprehension of 26 Chinese nationals and one Thai national. Authorities seized a substantial amount of digital equipment used in automated messaging scams, including 805 smartphones, 32 desktop computers, and 3 laptops.
The operation took an unexpected turn when a 31-year-old local interpreter, Ms. Phouvieng, attempted to bribe officers to secure the release of the suspects. She was immediately taken into custody for questioning.
This crackdown is part of Laos' broader national agenda to dismantle cross-border cyber-scam networks. The initiative follows stricter cybercrime legislation passed by the National Assembly. Ministry officials have stated that the investigation is ongoing, aiming to identify local facilitators and ringleaders behind the operation.