On the afternoon of March 18, the Hoan Kiem District Police (Hanoi City) initiated a case of "Forced appropriation of property" and is collaborating with relevant authorities to investigate the fraudulent impersonation of international police by two foreign individuals: Abdul Aziz, 55, Pakistani nationality, and Jahanbakhsh Ghiasi, 50, Iranian nationality.
According to the authorities, around 12:30 p.m. on March 12, the police of Hang Trong Ward, Hoan Kiem District, were conducting patrols on Hang Thiec Street when they observed two foreign men riding a motorbike displaying suspicious behavior.
The law enforcement secretly followed them. Upon reaching the vicinity of the house No.43 Hang Thiec Street, one of them dismounted and approached a foreign tourist, brandishing a card. Subsequently, the tourist surrendered his passport and wallet to the individual for inspection.
The patrol team of Hang Trong Ward Police Station intercepted and requested administrative checks on the individuals.
At the police station, the male tourist whose passport and wallet were taken has been identified as Mohammad Iftakhar H. Kh., 46, Bangladeshi nationality.
Concurrently, Hang Trong Ward Police Station clarified that the two suspected individuals, who carried cards with the word "POLICE", communicated in English, and claimed to be from Interpol, were involved in the forced appropriation of property from tourists.
While conducting a body search on Ghiasi, the police confiscated a "POLICE" card from London. Ghiasi admitted that the card was forged in Thailand with the intent of intimidating foreign tourists and subsequently misappropriating their property.
During further investigation, Ghiasi also confessed that, with the same scheme, at around 12:20 p.m. on March 11, the duo intercepted an Indian tourist at No.13 Hang Gai Street, Hoan Kiem District, and appropriated VND10 million from him.
The case is currently under further investigation.
