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...

Authorities Intensify Crackdown on Illegal Opium Poppy Cultivation in Northern Laos

Lao authorities have stepped up enforcement against illegal opium poppy cultivation in northern Laos, destroying more than 13 hectares of illicit crops in early...

Vientiane Cracks Down on Unlicensed Orange E-Bikes After Safety Complaints

Vientiane authorities have ordered the collection of orange electric motorbikes operating across the capital, citing a lack of proper licensing and mounting public complaints...

Laos Arrests Nearly 2,800 Suspects in Golden Triangle Zone Since 2023, Officials Say

Nearly 2,800 suspects from 27 nationalities have been arrested in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone (GTSEZ) in Bokeo Province for telecommunications fraud and...

Gen Z Hackers Arrested in Vietnam Over Global Trade in Billions of Stolen Email Accounts

On 30 January, Vietnamese police arrested three young men in their early 20s over their alleged involvement in a large-scale cybercrime operation trading more...

Japan Arrests Man Suspected of Running Child Prostitution Blog Targeting Laos

Japanese authorities arrested a 61-year-old man on 29 January for allegedly operating a blog promoting child prostitution in Laos, according to local Japanese media. Tokyo...

Champasak Authorities Rescue Pangolins Seized from Passenger Bus

Authorities in Champasak Province have rescued and released several pangolins after discovering the protected animals concealed on a passenger bus in Sanasomboun District. Officials found...