Authorities busted a large-scale document forgery ring.

(Chinhphu.vn) - To date, the Criminal Investigation Agency of Lai Chau Provincial Police has arrested 8 individuals involved in a ring producing and distributing nearly 10,000 counterfeit documents of various types, earning billions of dong in illicit profits.

Evidence seized in the case.

On the afternoon of May 18th, the Lai Chau Provincial Police held a press conference to announce the results of their investigation into a case involving the dismantling of a ring that forged seals and documents of agencies and organizations on an inter-provincial and transnational scale.

According to investigation documents, in late 2025, through monitoring online activities, the Criminal Police Department of Lai Chau Provincial Police discovered a Facebook account called "Loc Phat Service" that regularly advertised the creation of counterfeit documents such as chip-embedded citizen identity cards, driver's licenses, diplomas, certificates, land use right certificates, vehicle registration certificates, police and military identification cards, etc., at prices ranging from 1.5 to 3 million VND depending on the type. The perpetrators operated openly, continuously running advertisements on social media, attracting hundreds of interactions daily.

Recognizing this as an organized network operating with advanced technology, a closed system, and a wide scope of activity, on April 17, 2026, the Lai Chau Provincial Police established a special task force to combat it.

On May 15, 2026, the Lai Chau Provincial Police raided and arrested the ringleaders involved in the production and distribution of counterfeit documents. Through investigation, authorities identified Pham Van Khanh (born 1990, residing in Que Phong commune, Nghe An province) and Pham Van Khuong (born 1993, residing in Tam Dong commune, Nghe An province) as the masterminds and ringleaders. The suspects used social media to advertise, receive orders, and conduct transactions for the sale of counterfeit documents with customers nationwide. After receiving information and images from customers, the suspects modified the data, created fake information, and then sent it to private groups for Nguyen Van Huyen (born 1994) and Bui Duc Thuyen (born 2006), both residing in Ia Lau commune, Gia Lai province, to directly print and complete the counterfeit documents. The two suspects rented a house in Thong Nhat ward, Gia Lai province, to use as a place to manufacture and store machinery, equipment, blank documents, and data for their criminal activities.

Police forces arrested the suspects in phase 1 of the operation in Ho Chi Minh City.

Simultaneously, task forces in Ho Chi Minh City arrested individuals involved in the distribution and delivery of counterfeit documents, including Pham Van Muoi Mot (born in 1987), Nguyen Thanh Tung (born in 1989), and Nguyen Ngoc Quy (born in 1981). These individuals were responsible for sorting, packaging, and delivering the counterfeit documents to customers in various provinces and cities for illicit profit.

Expanding the investigation, on the morning of May 17th, at the Eastern Bus Station area in Ho Chi Minh City, the task force continued to arrest Phan Thanh Tuu (born in 2002, residing in Ho Chi Minh City) in connection with the operation of the ring. During an urgent search of related locations, authorities seized 1 computer, 5 color printers, 1 plastic laminating machine, 1 watermarking machine, 1,665 anti-counterfeiting labels, 196 reflective labels, 73 stamp images, 35 blank plastic cards, 122 blank diplomas and certificates, 137 blank exam application forms for licenses, along with a large amount of electronic data used in the forgery of documents.

Initially, the suspects confessed to "forging seals and documents of agencies and organizations" to sell to numerous individuals nationwide for illicit gain. To date, the Lai Chau Provincial Police Investigation Agency has arrested 8 suspects in the ring and seized numerous related exhibits and electronic data. The suspects produced and sold nearly 10,000 counterfeit documents of various types, earning billions of dong in illicit profits. The case is being further investigated and expanded to strictly prosecute the suspects according to the law.

According to the Ministry of Public Security

Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/pha-duong-day-lam-gia-giay-to-quy-mo-lon-102260519094531118.htm