Lao and Chinese police return call centre scam suspects to China on Wednesday.

Hundreds of Chinese call centre scam suspects repatriated
 
Lao authorities have handed over 485 Chinese nationals accused of involvement in telecommunications fraud and other criminal activities to Chinese officials, following a major cross-border operation targeting organised cybercrime networks.
The transfer was carried out on May 13 by the Department of Foreigner Management Police, under the General Department of Security of the Ministry of Public Security, in co-ordination with the Laos-China Police Cooperation Centre.
The handover was conducted in accordance with the Lao Law on Entry-Exit and Management of Foreigners in the Lao PDR, as well as the agreement establishing the Laos-China Police Cooperation Centre, signed by the two countries’ Ministries of Public Security.
The suspects face a range of allegations, including operating telecommunication scams from call centres, providing online gambling services, illegal entry and exit, unauthorised employment, operating businesses without permits, and intentionally concealing their presence within Laos.
The suspects were arrested during a large-scale crackdown launched on May 6, when officers from the Ministry of Public Security teamed up with the Savannakhet Provincial Public Security Command to raid seven locations across Savannakhet province.
The targets included hotels and guesthouses believed to have been used as bases for criminal operations.
Authorities said the raids uncovered 605 foreign nationals from China, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Malaysia and the Republic of Korea. Investigators also seized a substantial amount of evidence allegedly linked to theircriminal activities.
The Chinese detainees were handed over at the Laos-China border crossing in Boten, Luang Namtha province, where Lao and Chinese officials signed a memorandum formalising the repatriation of the 485 Chinese suspects.
Lao authorities reiterated their determination to combat telecommunications fraud and related cybercrime, describing the operation as part of an ongoing campaign to dismantle organised criminal networks operating within the country.
The Ministry of Public Security said specialist officers were continuing with investigations and legal proceedings connected to the case.
Officials issued a public warning urging businesses and citizens to remain vigilant against cybercrime and fraudulent recruitment schemes. Owners of hotels, apartments, rental houses, and guesthouses were instructed to ensure their properties are not used for illegal purposes.
The government further advised young people and the wider public to strengthen cyber security awareness and assist elderly relatives with digital literacy in order to reduce vulnerability to online scams.
Authorities additionally warned citizens to be cautious of social media advertisements offering unusually high salaries, noting that such offers are frequently linked to scam operations or human trafficking networks.
Members of the public were also reminded never to allow others to use their bank accounts and never to share personal information, one-time passwords (OTP codes), or financial details online or over the telephone without first verifying the identity and credibility of the recipient.

By Advertorial Desk
 (Latest Update May 18, 2026)