The Ministry of Public Security on Thursday said the police are investigating Phan Thi Nguyet Mai, 33, and Luong Van Dung, 35, for trafficking a person under 16.
Lao police have also put two Chinese and two Vietnamese under investigation for allegedly trafficking and forcing women into prostitution.
In late 2021, Mai and Dung lived together in Hung Yen. Dung was managing employees at several karaoke parlors at the time.
In early 2023, the duo schemed to bring women into Laos for prostitution. Mai went to Laos first to make preparations. She later returned to Vietnam and recruited women to work for Dung.
In March, Mai and Dung hired a 15-year-old girl to work at a karaoke parlor in Hung Yen. Mai later persuaded the girl to come to Laos to work as a karaoke parlor waitress.
On March 25, Mai brought two girls to Laos, handing them over to a woman in Laos’ Luangnamtha Province.
The girls were forced into prostitution in service of Chinese customers from the evening until the next morning. After two weeks under exploitation, one girl managed to escape back to Vietnam and informed authorities of what happened.
The police on Sept. 11 managed to rescue five victims under exploitation at karaoke parlors managed by Mai and Dung. Vietnamese and Lao police then cooperated to arrest several suspects for forcing these women into prostitution.