NHA TRANG, Vietnam – Vietnamese police successfully tracked down and deported a high-profile international fugitive, ending a multi-year global manhunt in the popular coastal city of Nha Trang.
On October 30, the Khánh Hòa Provincial Police confirmed the expulsion of Omokeev Ulukbek, a 47-year-old citizen of the Kyrgyz Republic, who was the subject of an Interpol Red Notice since 2021 for his alleged involvement in drug trafficking and transportation offenses stretching to Germany.
The arrest provides a strong message to the international community that Vietnam is actively cooperating on global security and ensuring that its visa systems are not exploited by transnational criminals. For expatriates and tourists, the swift action reinforces the commitment of local authorities to maintaining a safe environment.
The Hide-and-Seek Strategy
Ulukbek’s strategy was to leverage the ease of international travel to evade authorities. He utilized the common fugitive tactic of hiding in plain sight, blending in as an ordinary international tourist.
Key to his evasion was a pattern of constantly changing his passport number relative to the one cited in the Interpol Red Notice, and consistently moving across multiple countries before settling in Khánh Hòa, Vietnam, earlier this year.
Omokeev Ulukbek @ Local police office
In June, the Khánh Hòa Provincial Police’s Immigration Management Division identified Ulukbek residing in an apartment in the Bắc Nha Trang ward after noticing suspicious activity.
Upon administrative inspection, police discovered that Ulukbek had used an e-visa (electronic visa) to enter the country by allegedly providing false information in his application.
Police immediately issued an administrative violation decision for the misrepresentation and applied the penalty of deportation. Ulukbek was expelled from Vietnam on Thursday.
Vietnam’s Security Commitment
The successful operation highlights the increasing sophistication and diligence of Vietnamese authorities in cross-referencing global security data. The nation’s focus on maintaining stability and security is a key component of its attractiveness to foreign investment and tourism.
For the international business community and expatriate residents, this swift action serves as a reassurance that Vietnam is serious about upholding the rule of law and preventing its territory from being used as a safe haven for international fugitives.
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