Vietnamese Man Wanted Under INTERPOL Red Notice Detained in Phuket

A 50-year-old Vietnamese national wanted under an INTERPOL Red Notice over an alleged property sales scheme has been detained in Phuket.

Tang Ngoc Nho was detained on October 6 during a joint operation involving Phuket Immigration, Tourist Police, Special Branch Police and INTERPOL.

Vietnamese authorities allege that Tang was entrusted with selling land and other property connected to 10 projects with a combined value of about 80 billion Vietnamese dong, equivalent to around 150 million baht.

Investigators allege that after the properties were sold, Tang failed to hand the proceeds to the people entitled to receive them and subsequently fled Vietnam.

Police in Lao Cai province issued an arrest warrant for him on May 12, 2026. INTERPOL later issued a Red Notice seeking his location and detention.

The Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand subsequently asked Thai authorities to assist in locating Tang.

Thai immigration records showed that Tang had entered the country legally and was still within his authorised period of stay. After receiving information about the Vietnamese arrest warrant, however, the Immigration Bureau revoked his permission to remain in Thailand.

Investigators eventually traced Tang to Phuket and detained him near Robinson Lifestyle shopping centre in Chalong.

He was transferred to Immigration Bureau investigators and placed in detention while arrangements are being made for his return to Vietnam to face legal proceedings there.

Vietnamese police said Tang had also been linked to a separate case dating back to 2020, involving alleged losses of around 15 billion dong.

Authorities are examining several other property transactions in which Tang is accused of misappropriating funds. The estimated losses in those cases are around 200 billion dong, or approximately 260 million baht. Other transactions remain under investigation.

The Phuket operation was carried out as part of MAHARLIKA 5, a joint campaign involving the Royal Thai Police and INTERPOL that runs from October 5 to 8.

The campaign focuses on locating people wanted under INTERPOL Red Notices and addressing other transnational security threats across the Asia-Pacific region. It also includes strengthened security measures ahead of a World Bank meeting in Thailand.