A Vietnamese man wanted under an INTERPOL Red Notice over an alleged property sales scheme worth more than 100 million baht has been detained in Phuket.
Thai immigration officers detained 50 year old Tang Ngoc Nho today, October 6, following a joint operation involving Phuket Immigration, Tourist Police, Special Branch Police and INTERPOL.
Vietnamese authorities allege Tang was entrusted to sell land and other property across 10 projects worth about 80 billion dong, or around 150 million baht.
Investigators allege that after selling the properties, he failed to pass the proceeds to those entitled to the money and later fled Vietnam.
Police in Lao Cai province issued a warrant for his arrest on May 12, 2026, before INTERPOL issued a Red Notice seeking his location and detention.
The Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand later asked Thai police to help trace him.
Immigration records showed Tang had entered Thailand legally and was still within his permitted stay. The Immigration Bureau later revoked his permission to remain in the country after receiving information about the Vietnamese warrant.
Investigators eventually traced him to Phuket and detained him near Robinson Lifestyle shopping centre in Chalong district.
He was transferred to Immigration Bureau investigators for detention while arrangements are made to return him to Vietnam for legal proceedings.
Vietnamese police said Tang had also been linked to a similar case in 2020 involving alleged losses of around 15 billion dong.
They are also examining several other land sales in which he is accused of misappropriating money, with estimated losses of around 200 billion dong, or 260 million baht. Other property transactions remain under investigation.
The operation formed part of MAHARLIKA 5, a joint campaign between the Royal Thai Police and INTERPOL running from October 5 to 8.
The operation targets people wanted under Red Notices and other transnational threats across the Asia-Pacific region, while also strengthening security measures ahead of a World Bank meeting in Thailand.
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