Pakistani, Iranian men pose as Interpol to extort tourists in Hanoi

By Viet Tuan March 18, 2024 | 11:31 pm PT

Jahanbakhsh Ghiasi (L) and Abdul Aziz at a police station in Hanoi's Hoan Kiem District. Photo courtesy of the police

A Pakistani and an Iranian in Hanoi posed as Interpol police officers to steal money from tourists in the Old Quarter.

Abdul Aziz, 55, from Pakistan, and Jahanbakhsh Ghiasi, 50, from Iran, were detained by police in Hoan Kiem District for allegedly extorting people.

On March 12, the two men rode a motorbike to Hang Thiec Street and intercepted a Bangladeshi tourist. They used fake cards posing as Interpol and demanded the tourist show them his passport and wallet.

The tourist gave all his papers and belongings to the two. However, police in Hang Trong discovered the incident and put a stop to it.

Just a day prior, the two men pulled the same stunt with an Indian tourist on Hang Gai Street and took VND10 million (US$405).

Aziz and Ghiasi said they had the Interpol card forged in Bangkok, and they used it to extort money and belongings off tourists.