Lao authorities detained 33 people, all Chinese nationals, in a two-day operation targeting cybercrime and online gambling in Vientiane’s Sisattanak District, authorities said.
The Ministry of Public Security task force carried out raids on 21 and 22 September, targeting five locations across the district and seizing computers, mobile phones, and other equipment.
The first raid, on 21 September, targeted a two-story villa in Dongsavath Village. Police detained 26 people and seized equipment they said was being used for criminal activities.
The following day, officers raided four more locations: Sailom Yen Guesthouse, Ratsami Hotel, Phonthip Plaza Apartments, and Thip By Day Dam Apartments. Seven more people were detained.
Authorities said all 33 suspects are being held for questioning while investigators work to identify possible accomplices and determine the extent of the operations. Legal action will follow in accordance with the law, according to the authorities.
Nationwide Crackdown
The raids come amid a wider crackdown on cybercrime and online gambling across Laos. Last week, authorities detained nearly 100 people in separate operations in Vientiane and Champasak.
On 18 September, police in Champasak detained 23 suspected scammers, including 22 Chinese nationals and one Lao national, after raiding a rented house in Bachiang Chaleunsouk District.
In Vientiane, police arresred 41 foreign suspects, including 40 Thai nationals and one Chinese national, during raids on four hotels on 16 September. Earlier in the month, authorities also detained 43 people at Yuzhou Smart Hotel and 13 people during a raid on two rented houses.
Meanwhile, on 20 September, Lao authorities handed 129 Thai nationals to Thai authorities at the 1st Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge. The group had been detained during an 28 August raid on the Mangrove Hotel and Glory Apartment in Xaysettha District.
The latest operations add to a broader crackdown that has seen Lao authorities detain more than 6,200 suspects linked to cybercrime since the start of 2026.
