A Ho Chi Minh City police publication dated May 21, 2026, reported that officers found 85 Chinese nationals at the Bảo Ly hotel in Thuận Giao, along with electronic equipment suspected of being prepared for online fraud. An initial inventory counted about 400 devices, including desktop computers, mobile phones and tablets.
Police said 17 of the people had entered Vietnam illegally and had not made the required declarations. Those involved came mainly from Guangzhou and Guangxi. Some entered by land or small boat, while others travelled from Cambodia by motorcycle along unofficial border paths.
People questioned told police that managers had taken their passports after they entered Vietnam and brought them directly to the hotel. Police said they intervened while equipment was being installed, before the planned activity had begun.
The initial police investigation identified two Chinese nationals, H.G (born 1989) and Q.M (born 1998). According to their statements, they rented the hotel for about VND315 million a month to accommodate people and install equipment.
According to the police report, H.G said he had previously managed a dormitory for a company in Cambodia and was then instructed to rent premises, receive people and install equipment in Vietnam. H.G and Q.M entered through Tan Son Nhat airport in early May 2026, while the equipment was transported from Cambodia.
Police said they would strengthen foreign-resident checks, address illegal entry and undeclared stays, and investigate suspected online-fraud activity. They also reminded accommodation operators to comply with residence-declaration requirements.
