Exposing a cross-border property extortion ring

Subjects involved in a cross-border criminal organization targeting Vietnamese people to commit acts of extortion.-Photo: T.TUAN

Link in the chain of crime

Through the work of grasping the situation and professional measures, the detectives of the Cyber Security and High-Tech Crime Prevention Department (Cyber Security Department), Quang Binh Provincial Police (formerly), now Quang Tri Provincial Police, discovered the tricks of a criminal group specializing in creating sensitive images and videos to carry out acts of extortion. This criminal group has about 150 members, led by foreigners (Taiwanese, Chinese...), in association with Vietnamese people operating in Kimsa3 area, Bavet City, Svay Rieng Province (Cambodia) near Moc Bai International Border Gate (Tay Ninh).

Faced with that situation, the provincial police leaders reported to the Ministry of Public Security to establish a special project to fight against the case, the project codenamed CDA1 was established. Based on the plan to fight the project, Minister of Public Security Luong Tam Quang directly directed the breaking of the project in parts. Colonel Le Van Hoa, Deputy Director, Head of the Provincial Police Investigation Security Agency, was the Head of the CDA1 Project Board and directly presided over the coordination with local police and professional departments of the Ministry of Public Security to implement the case.

From February 26, 2025 to March 3, 2025, the Task Force chaired by the Quang Binh Provincial Police (formerly), in coordination with the Southern Provincial Police, Ha Tinh Police and professional departments under the Ministry of Public Security, summoned and investigated 15 subjects residing in the Southern Provinces and Ha Tinh who were involved in the creation of sensitive images and videos for blackmail on the Internet; at the same time, mobilized 5 related subjects to surrender. This is the first stage of the fight against domestic subjects.

The activities of this criminal organization are divided into many groups and departments, including: The "Management" department, including the leaders, the heads of the departments; the subjects form groups to have the heads of the departments report the results of daily activities. The "Search for target information" department is responsible for searching for information about victims through cyberspace. The "Customer care" department is responsible for making friends, getting acquainted, creating feelings and collecting video information and images of the target.

The “Creating Sensitive Images and Videos” department is responsible for cutting and creating sensitive images and videos from images and videos collected by the “Nourishing Customers” department. The “Blackmail” department is usually led by key positions and roles, team leaders, who will send sensitive images and videos with threatening content to blackmail the target. The “Controlling cash flow and money laundering” department is responsible for providing bank account numbers to send to the target for money transfer and checking, verifying, confirming that the money has been transferred by the target and laundering money by purchasing USDT cryptocurrency.

According to Lieutenant Colonel Tran Anh Tuan, Head of the Cyber Security Department, Provincial Police, Deputy Head of the Special Project, to commit the crime, the subjects buy personal data or search for personal information of the target (victim) on cyberspace (information posted publicly on electronic portals, newspapers, social networks...), from there use "fake" zalo and facebook accounts with avatars, information as single women, young and beautiful appearance to connect, contact, and interact with the target.

Once approached, the "Guest Feeding" department continues to create feelings, choose the time to seduce, lure and collect videos and images of the target and create sensitive images and videos to threaten, blackmail... causing many victims to become victims of this sophisticated trick without realizing it. Due to fear of affecting their lives and work, the victims accept to transfer money as requested, do not report and cooperate with the authorities.

Currently, the Investigation Security Agency, Quang Binh Provincial Police (old) has issued a decision to prosecute the case of "Extortion of property", prosecute 25 defendants for the crime of "Extortion of property" and prosecute 1 defendant for the crime of "Organizing others to flee abroad". At the same time, the unit actively coordinates with professional units of the Ministry of Public Security, provincial police and Cambodian functional forces to continue to fight and handle related subjects.

Solve the crime on your land

From the domestic case-solving stage, the Task Force has coordinated with professional departments under the Ministry of Public Security and the police of many provinces and cities nationwide to fight and arrest many related subjects and gradually clarify each link and key point to solve the case. Creating an important legal basis to proceed with solving the case at the lair of this criminal group in Cambodia.

Anticipating difficulties in coordinating with Cambodian authorities, especially in the phase of verifying and solving cases in the neighboring country, the provincial police and the task force have arranged many working trips to Cambodia to grasp the situation and hold detailed discussions with the representative agency of the Vietnamese police in Cambodia and Cambodian authorities.

Colonel Le Van Hoa, Deputy Director, Head of the Provincial Police Investigation Security Agency, Head of the Special Project Board, was the one who directly went to Cambodia with the detectives to find solutions, support, remove difficulties in the initial stages and speed up the plan to solve the case.

Exposing a cross-border property extortion ring

Subjects involved in a cross-border criminal organization targeting Vietnamese people to commit acts of extortion.-Photo: T.TUAN

From the flexibility and creativity in reconnaissance work, the Task Force has clearly identified that this criminal organization has more than 100 subjects operating in building 16, Kimsa3 area, Bavet City, Svay Rieng Province (Cambodia). At the same time, it has identified related subjects with important "links", leaders and methods of operation of this criminal organization. However, the area of Bavet City is extremely complicated in terms of security and order, so reconnaissance, collection and verification of information and documents are extremely difficult.

With the information collected, the Provincial Police Department's Investigation Committee continued to coordinate with the representative agency of the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam in Cambodia to work and discuss with the General Department of Police, Ministry of Interior (Cambodia) to agree on a coordination plan. During the period from April 6-7, 2025, the Provincial Police coordinated with the representative agency of the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam in Cambodia and Cambodian authorities to summon and arrest the subjects.

However, for various reasons, the summoning and arrest process was only carried out by Cambodian authorities. Accordingly, the three subjects summoned and arrested were Tan Quang Huy (born in 2005), Tan Tuan Anh (born in 1999), both residing in Lao Cai, and Vu Dinh Nhan (born in 1997, residing in Ninh Binh). These subjects were later received by the provincial police and extradited for investigation and clarification.

The Task Force has identified the sophisticated methods involved in this criminal organization, which is that they hired a professional money laundering organization, used non-owner bank accounts, and corporate bank accounts to receive money from victims. When the victims received money, they circulated the money through many different bank accounts and finally laundered money through the purchase and sale of electronic money (USDT) to avoid inspection and detection. Of the 20 accounts used by the subjects to receive money from victims, it was determined that 11/20 accounts had a total transaction of nearly 300 billion VND.

Tran Tuan

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/lat-tay-o-nhom-cuong-doat-tai-san-xuyen-bien-gioi-195603.htm