Laos has arrested nearly 900 people linked to scam centers since 1 June, according to public data.
The latest crackdown saw 170 Chinese nationals handed over to Chinese authorities On 24 June, they crossed at the Boten International Border Checkpoint to face national prosecution for running telecommunications and online scam operations in Laos.
According to police, the 170 suspects had been living illegally in Laos, working without permission, and running fraud schemes while hiding from authorities, mostly in Vientiane Capital, Bolikhamxay, and Champasak in recent weeks.
This is just the latest in a series of deportations, arrests, and crackdowns happening almost daily from north to south across Laos. Since early 2026,Lao police have intensified enforcement against foreign-run scam networks nationwide.
The latest wave of arrests began on 1 to 2 June, when police raided three sites in Vientiane Province and arrested 49 people, the majority of whom held Chinese nationality. In the same raid, Singaporean, Filipino, and Malaysian nationals were also arrested.
On 3 June, Vientiane officers raided a villa at Khoutsambard village, Xaythany district, and arrested 24 people, all Chinese nationals. A day later, Bokeo sent 26 suspects across the border to China.
The pace picked up in mid-June.
On 10 June, police in Savannakhet raided two locations and arrested 94 people from seven countries, including 72 Chinese and 11 Indonesian nationals.
The next day, Bokeo police arrested 142 Chinese nationals in one raid, while Champasak police detained 50 suspects in a separate raid.
On 12 June, a major raid in Vientiane Capital broke up a romance scam targeting Chinese women online, arresting 82 people across two houses.
More raids followed through the rest of the month.
On 15 June, police arrested 40 suspects in Vientiane Province’s Thoulakhom district.
The following day, eight Vietnamese nationals were arrested in Sanakham district just a few hours before, police in Xieng Khouang caught 17 people, including Japanese, Taiwanese, and Chinese nationals.
On 18 June, Bokeo handed over another 145 Chinese nationals to China.
On 20 June, police raided a karaoke venue in Khammouane Province and arrested 65 people from four countries, including Chinese, Burmese, Ethiopian, and Ukrainian nationals.
Most Chinese suspects have since been handed over to China for further legal action, while suspects of other nationalities remain in Laos as authorities continue local legal proceedings.
