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...

Sinkhole in Vientiane Linked to Potash Mining Leaves Four Missing

Four people remain missing after a sinkhole collapsed in Thongmang Village, Xaythany District, Vientiane Capital, on 2 January, with authorities confirming it is the...

Another Fire Hits Wat That Village Days After Deadly Blaze in Luang Prabang

A fire broke out in Wat That village in Luang Prabang City at around 3:30 pm on 8 January, damaging several residential houses just...

Accused Scam Boss Chen Zhi Arrested in Cambodia, Extradited to China: Phnom Penh

AFP - Chinese-born tycoon Chen Zhi, who was indicted by the United States on fraud and money-laundering charges for running a multibillion-dollar cyberscam network...

Vientiane Court Hands Down Life Sentence, Death Penalty in Latest Drug, Firearms Cases

The Vientiane Provincial People’s Court has sentenced four defendants in separate criminal cases involving drug trafficking, drug possession, and illegal firearms, handing down penalties...

Laos Finalizes Tiger Recovery Plan After Over a Decade Without Wild Tigers

Lao authorities have completed a National Tiger Recovery Action Plan for 2026–2035, acknowledging that habitat degradation, widespread snaring, and declining prey populations continue to...

Vietnam Introduces Strict Ban on E-Cigarettes, Heated Tobacco Products

Vietnam has imposed strict fines and mandated the destruction of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products under a new government decree as part of its...