Dismantling a human trafficking ring and rescuing 13 victims

Accordingly, through intelligence gathering, the Nghe An Provincial Police identified a human trafficking ring operating in Binh Chuan, Cam Phuc, and Nga My communes (Nghe An Province). This ring lured victims with false promises of high salaries and attractive benefits. Initial investigation revealed that Vi Thi Lan (born in 1994, residing in Cam Lac Commune, Ha Tinh Province), originally from Binh Chuan Commune, Nghe An Province, was the ringleader and a key figure in the network.

Lan had previously worked abroad and therefore had connections and knowledge of fraudulent companies in the Golden Triangle that were seeking large numbers of workers. Exploiting this, she conspired with individuals in communes across western Nghe An to establish a human trafficking network for illicit profit.

To gain the victims’ trust, in addition to promising a monthly salary of VND 15 to 18 million, Lan and her accomplice Vuong also pledged to cover all travel expenses and arrange food and accommodation during the victims’ employment. Once the victims were deceived and taken across the border, Lan and Vuong colluded with foreign nationals to place them in scam companies in the Golden Triangle area operated by foreigners.

Once trapped, the victims were forced to obey their “employers,” work intensively, carry out fraudulent tasks, and endure a difficult and risky life that was far from the prospects promised by Lan and Vuong. If a victim could not withstand the “work pressure” and wished to return home, they were required to pay a large ransom demanded by the “employer.”

Not only did Lan and Vuong sell their victims across the border, but they also lured some of their former victims to continue contacting people in Vietnam to recruit and sell additional victims, using the same “light work, high pay” scheme. Using this method, Lo Thi Nham (born 2004, Nga My commune, Nghe An province), currently residing in An Duong ward, Hai Phong city, who had previously been a victim sold by Lan and Vuong, actively participated in the human trafficking ring by successfully deceiving and selling other victims to the Golden Triangle area.

To carry out the plan of finding victims to sell to the Golden Triangle, Vi Thi Lan colluded with another individual related to her by family ties, Lo Thi Vuong (born 1993, Nga My commune), who guided the approach, search, and deception of victims. Using the “light work, high pay” ruse, Lan and Vuong targeted young men and women of working age without stable employment to lure and recruit them.

After an initial verification process that gathered credible evidence, and to ensure security and order in the area while promptly dismantling the human trafficking ring operated by Lan and Vuong, the Nghe An Provincial Police established a special case, determined to break the ring, arrest the suspects, and rescue the victims.

Following a period of monitoring and applying coordinated professional measures, from September 2 to September 7, it was confirmed that the three suspects were present in Vietnam. The special task force mobilized personnel and formed three operational teams in Nghe An province, Ha Tinh province, and Hai Phong city to simultaneously arrest Vi Thi Lan, Lo Thi Vuong, and Lo Thi Nham. The arrest operation caught the suspects by surprise, leaving them no time to react despite their previously sophisticated and cunning activities.

Faced with the evidence collected by the police, the suspects were compelled to confess to their criminal acts. Quick verification of the information showed that the group had deceived 13 victims and sold them into the Golden Triangle area to work in online scam operations. Based on the information provided by the suspects, Nghe An Police promptly carried out a successful rescue of the 13 victims who had been trafficked by the group.

Through this case, Nghe An Police advise the public to remain highly vigilant against this type of crime and to promptly report any suspicious individuals to the nearest police station or local authorities. A common characteristic of human trafficking cases is that victims are often lured by promises of easy jobs with high salaries, or the prospect of marrying a foreign spouse, with the aim of achieving a wealthy lifestyle. The workplaces and locations that the perpetrators promise or lure victims to usually have no specific, verifiable addresses.