Laos Transfers 118 Chinese, 78 Thai Suspects in Scam Crackdown

PHNOM PENH — Oct. 5, 2026: Laos has handed 118 Chinese and 78 Thai nationals to authorities in their home countries, continuing a nationwide crackdown on cybercrime and scam operations.

The transfers took place on Oct. 1 in two handovers in Bokeo province. Of the 196 total, 189 face allegations of cybercrime or telecom fraud, while seven were accused of illegal entry.

At the Boten-Mohan International Checkpoint in Luang Namtha province, the 118 Chinese nationals — 113 accused of cybercrime and five of illegal entry — were handed to Chinese authorities for deportation and further legal proceedings.

At the 4th Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge, 78 Thai nationals were transferred, including 76 accused of working with call-centre scam gangs and two facing illegal entry charges. Equipment seized from the group, including 107 desktop computers, dozens of phones and three tablets, was also handed over.


Photo: Laotian Time
The handovers follow others in recent weeks, including 25 Thai nationals transferred in Vientiane on Sept. 30 and 129 on Sept. 17. On Sept. 28, police in Savannakhet detained 17 people in raids on two rental properties, seizing computers, smartphones, kratom leaves and more than 22,900 bottles of cough syrup.

Since January, Lao authorities have detained more than 6,200 suspected scammers from more than 25 nationalities.

Source: Laotian Times


Reported by The Khmer Daily Network