HCMC Police Arrest Wu CongMing, Phung Lac Tong for Operating Illegal BTS Devices
Police in District 10 of Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) have apprehended three individuals, including Wu CongMing, 56, Phung Lac Tong, 37, and Thoi Vi Quoc, 36, for allegedly operating illegal base transceiver stations (BTS) used to distribute spam messages. The operation was uncovered after authorities detected unusual activity in telecommunications networks.
According to the police, Wu, a Chinese national, was contacted by Hong Kong-based criminals in June 2023 to arrange for the deployment of devices camouflaged as BTS units. These devices were designed to send massive amounts of spam messages promoting online gambling services to mobile phones across the city.
Wu then recruited Tong and Quoc to transport the devices through different parts of HCMC. The group coordinated through WhatsApp, with Tong testing the devices in late July by driving a car equipped with the BTS units around the city to ensure their effectiveness.
However, the operation was exposed in early August when Tong was arrested by police in District 10. Authorities say the trio’s actions disrupted legitimate BTS signals, causing widespread interference with mobile phone communications and leading to significant losses for local telecommunications providers.
The fake BTS devices, which can be as large as a suitcase, are capable of sending up to 70,000 spam messages daily. Many residents of HCMC had reported receiving messages related to online gambling and other illicit services, often disguised as official communications from banks. These messages frequently contained links to malicious software designed to compromise recipients’ devices.
The trio is currently under investigation for illegal access to computer networks and telecommunications systems, as well as their involvement in the fraudulent activity.
