22 Chinese caught making fake bank cards in southern Vietnam

They raided three villas and a hotel December 19 and found 20 men and two women and in their possession 13 token keys to track down security codes in online transactions, 200 blank bank cards, card readers and number stampers used for making the cards.

They also found VND650 million (US$27,900), 8,500 Chinese yuan (US$1,200) and US$100 in cash, 33 bank cards issued by Chinese banks, 41 desktop computers, 13 laptops, and 300 mobile phones.

The computers revealed the gang members had been accessing illegal online gambling websites and possessed information about some people’s bank accounts in the US and the U.K.

On questioning, the suspects admitted to coming to Vietnam to make fake bank cards and gamble online. They received help from some locals who served as interpreters.

But it is not known how many are in custody. Vietnamese police are coordinating with their Chinese counterparts for further investigation.

There have been many arrests of Chinese nationals for using fake cards in Vietnam in recent years.

Last October a court in the northern province of Quang Ninh sentenced four Chinese to 4.5-5.5 years in prison for stealing nearly VND60 million from ATMs in the resort town Ha Long.

In May last year a court in the central city of Da Nang sentenced two men to 10 years after they stole nearly US$10,000 from ATMs.

Two months before that two men were jailed for seven years and 30 months in Hanoi for stealing US$9,200.