Law and Crime

Laos Arrests More Than 550 in August Scam Crackdown

Laos has detained more than 550 people in raids targeting online scams and illegal gambling operations so far in August, as authorities step up a nationwide crackdown that has now netted more than 1,100 suspects since mid-July. The latest figures come after a series of raids across Vientiane Capital and...

Laos Seizes Nearly 1.8 Tonnes of Suspected Ivory, Black Panther Remains in Bolikhamxay Raid

On 16 August, Lao authorities detained 11 foreign nationals in connection with a wildlife...

Vientiane Authorities Detain Nearly 400 in Cybercrime Raids in Early-to-Mid August

Vientiane authorities have detained nearly 400 suspects in three separate raids since the start...

Laos Authorities Arrest Four in Alleged Marriage Trafficking Network

On 23 July, Lao authorities arrested four people suspected of operating a human trafficking...

Police Detain 261 Foreign Nationals in Thatluang Lake SEZ Scam Raid

On 8 August, Vientiane police raided a telecommunications fraud and online gambling operation at...

Over 5,000 Fraud Victims Await Arrest of Phonethip Xaypanya

More than 5,000 people have come forward as victims of Phonethip Xaypanya, a con artist who defrauded large sums of money from people in...

Savannakhet Authorities Destroy Smuggled Pork

Authorities and in Savannakhet Province have destroyed some 9,000 kilograms of smuggled pork that originated in Vietnam. The pork was smuggled into Laos hidden inside...

National Assembly Approves Nine Laws

The National Assembly has announced the approval of all nine proposed amendments and new laws at the third Ordinary Session of the National Assembly....

Laos Informs Thais that Kratom Remains Illegal

The Lao Department of Food and Drug Safety is concerned with the illegal use of kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) in Laos. The Lao Ministry of...

Police in Laos Search for Notorious Fraudster Phonethip Xaypanya

Police are searching for a Lao fraudster and her husband who fled the country after defrauding a number of people of large sums of...

Lao and Thai Travelers Warned About Cigarette and Alcohol Purchases

Thai and Lao travelers have been reminded by Thai immigration officials that it is illegal to bring vast amounts of cigarettes or alcohol between...