On 22 June, Sekong provincial authorities arrested 101 foreign nationals after raiding a scam hub operating telecommunications fraud and illegal entry into the country, as part of a coordinated nationwide crackdown on cybercrime.
Authorities in Sekong Province, southern Laos, carried out the raids after months of cyber-monitoring, signal analysis, and tips from residents who flagged suspicious activity at rental properties across nine locations in Lamam and Thateng districts.
In a post published on 29 June by state media, officers detained mostly Chinese nationals, along with smaller groups of Japanese and Cambodian citizens. Authorities linked most of the suspects approximately 63 to an active scam operation, while the rest had entered Laos illegally.
Investigators seized a large haul of smartphones, several computers, a pistol, suspected methamphetamine pills and ketamine, and cash in four different currencies, including LAK 80.7 million (USD 3,660), USD 4,026, KHR 353,600 (USD 336), and VND 670,000 (USD 25), evidence officers say points to an organized criminal network running from the rented properties.
Sekong authorities are now widening the investigation to identify the property owners who rented space to the operations.
The Sekong raid follows a string of crackdowns elsewhere in the country.
On 20 and 23 June, police raided a karaoke venue in Nakham village, Nongbok district, and separately arrested a group of Chinese nationals in Thakhek district, both in Khammouane Province. The two raids netted 115 suspects in total, including Chinese, Burmese, Ethiopian, and Ukrainian nationals.
Days later, on 24 June, Lao authorities handed over 170 Chinese nationals to Chinese officials at the Boten International Border Checkpoint in northern Laos. Police said the group had been living and working illegally in Laos while running telecommunications and online scam operations.
With the Sekong arrests added, Laos has detained more than 900 people linked to scam centers nationwide since 1 June.
