Five Members of Cambodia-Based Romance Scam Ring Arrested in Vietnam...“A Success in International Cooperation”

[Financial News] Five key suspects from a web-based romance scam organization operating out of Bavet, Kingdom of Cambodia, were simultaneously apprehended in Vietnam through close cooperation between the Korean and Vietnamese police.
The Korean National Police Agency (KNPA) announced on the 4th that, through international collaboration between Korea and Vietnam, five core suspects from a romance scam crime ring based in Bavet, Kingdom of Cambodia, were arrested by Vietnamese public security authorities on the 28th of last month.
Recently, as crackdowns intensified in the Kingdom of Cambodia, there were growing concerns that some members of the organization might flee to neighboring countries such as Vietnam. In response, the KNPA convened meetings with police attachés from neighboring states and sent official requests for cooperation under the name of the acting Commissioner General, thereby strengthening its response system with surrounding countries.
As a result, on the 21st of last month, the police attaché in Da Nang received a missing person report for a male suspect in his 20s, identified as Mr. A. While tracking his whereabouts, authorities confirmed that Mr. A was the subject of an International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) red notice. It was also determined that he had entered Vietnam from the Kingdom of Cambodia and was staying at a hotel in Da Nang. Another male suspect in his 20s, Mr. B, who was accompanying him, was also found to be under an INTERPOL red notice.
Subsequently, in cooperation with the Da Nang Public Security Department, suspects A and B were apprehended at a residential facility in Da Nang on the 28th of last month. At the same location, a third male suspect in his 20s, Mr. C, who had been hiding in the same building, was also discovered and arrested.
In Ho Chi Minh City, the police attaché received intelligence regarding the illegal entry of a male suspect in his 20s, Mr. D. Working with the local public security department, they apprehended Mr. D, who was residing in the country illegally. In Khanh Hoa Province, immigration authorities, while checking the registration of foreign residents, arrested a male suspect in his 30s, Mr. E, for not possessing a passport (illegal entry). During the investigation, it was confirmed that he was also a member of the same scam organization.
With these arrests, all five major suspects from the romance scam ring based in Bavet, Kingdom of Cambodia, were apprehended on the same day in various locations across Vietnam, including Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, and Khanh Hoa Province.
This operation is considered a representative example of effective international cooperation, as the KNPA and police attachés in Vietnam maintained rapid information sharing and an organic partnership with local public security authorities. It is also seen as a tangible result in the fight against scam organizations that have recently been spreading throughout Southeast Asia.
The police attaché in Vietnam stated, "Vietnam has strong law enforcement capabilities against overseas criminals, and the cooperation system with the Korean police operates stably through constant communication channels between the two countries."
Lee Jaeyoung, Director of International Cooperation at the KNPA, commented, "This operation is a concrete achievement of close international cooperation between the two countries at a time when the spread of scam crimes in Southeast Asia is a growing concern. It is also the result of trust and collaboration between law enforcement agencies in Korea and Vietnam. Moving forward, we will further strengthen cooperation between the KNPA’s International Cooperation Bureau, overseas attachés, and local law enforcement agencies to eradicate international scam crimes and ensure the protection of Korean nationals abroad."
welcome@fnnews.com Jang Yu-ha Reporter