Foreign National Arrested in Vietnam for Attempting to Circulate Counterfeit Currency Under Tourist Cover

Border guards in Lao Cai Province have arrested a Chinese national for allegedly smuggling and attempting to circulate counterfeit currency at the Lao Cai International Border Gate.

On June 5, Lieutenant Colonel Vu Tran Minh Dat, Chief of the Border Post at the Lao Cai International Border Gate, confirmed that his unit had officially launched a criminal investigation into the offense of “Possession, Transportation, and Circulation of Counterfeit Currency” under Vietnamese law. One suspect, a Chinese citizen, has been taken into custody.

The arrest followed a joint operation on May 29 involving the Lao Cai International Border Gate Border Post, the Drug and Crime Prevention Division of the Lao Cai Border Guard Command, and Lao Cai International Customs. The suspect, identified as Bai Dung, an ethnic Han Chinese born in 1990 and a resident of Yan’an City, Shaanxi Province (China), was apprehended after exhibiting suspicious behavior while entering Vietnam using a valid passport.

Shortly after crossing the border, Bai Dung went to an area in front of Sapaly Hotel in Lao Cai City, where he exchanged 2,000 counterfeit Chinese yuan for 7 million Vietnamese dong, and then attempted to exchange an additional 3,000 yuan for more than 10 million dong at a neighboring stall.

Authorities quickly detected the counterfeit nature of the Chinese currency and took the suspect and related evidence into custody for further investigation.

During interrogation, Bai Dung admitted he was fully aware the currency was fake but entered Vietnam under the guise of tourism to intentionally circulate the counterfeit notes. Upon arrest, authorities found him in possession of over 18,000 Chinese yuan in 100-yuan denominations—of which 185 notes were counterfeit and only two were genuine.

The Lao Cai Provincial Forensic Department and Agribank’s local branch have confirmed the counterfeit status of the seized notes. Based on these findings, investigators determined there were grounds to prosecute for offenses under Clause 3, Article 207 of Vietnam’s Penal Code, which pertains to the possession, transportation, and circulation of counterfeit money.

As a result, the Lao Cai International Border Gate Border Post has formally initiated legal proceedings and transferred the case to the appropriate authorities for prosecution.