Vietnam's Ministry of Public Security has received 21 Vietnamese citizens repatriated by Cambodian authorities after they were deported for illegal residence and employment, with several also suspected of involvement in online fraud.
The ministry said the handover was carried out in coordination with relevant agencies and border guards at Vinh Xuong International Border Gate in An Giang Province.
According to the Vietnamese Embassy in Cambodia, the group had previously been detained by Cambodian authorities for illegally residing and working in the country. Some individuals were also suspected of having links to online scam operations.
The repatriated citizens are registered as permanent residents in several provinces and cities across Vietnam, including Tay Ninh Province, Hanoi, Phu Tho Province, Thanh Hoa Province, An Giang Province, Bac Ninh Province and Ninh Binh Province.
Several of those returned told authorities they had been approached after arriving in Cambodia, unlawfully detained, assaulted and forced to record videos that were used to pressure their families in Vietnam into paying ransom demands. Some families reportedly transferred large sums of money to the perpetrators.
During their captivity, several of the victims were able to contact relatives and Cambodian authorities in secret, leading to their rescue.
