On 22/5, Long and 17 other individuals associated with Song Long company were arrested by the Criminal Police Department (PC02) of the Ho Chi Minh City Police for investigation into property extortion.

Vu Hoang Long at the investigative agency. *Nhat Vy*

Initial investigation findings reveal that Long directly led this organized and sophisticated criminal ring. He previously operated a debt collection service business, which he was forced to dissolve when the law officially banned such activities.

To circumvent legal restrictions, Long established Song Long Debt Trading Investment Joint Stock Company in 2020, with its headquarters in Tan Son Nhat ward (formerly Tan Binh district), TP HCM. The company's true nature involved using sham "debt trading" contracts as a facade to legalize illicit debt collection operations.

Long structured the company meticulously, dividing it into specialized departments: a "legal team", a "debt recovery team", accounting, and technical. He managed and oversaw all employee debt collection progress through internal software.

Members of Song Long company arrested. *Nhat Vy*

Investigators determined that Song Long company never actually purchased debts from clients. Instead, it operated on a profit-sharing model, retaining 25% to 55% of the total amount recovered. Additionally, clients seeking the company's services were required to pay a "file appraisal fee" amounting to tens of millions of dong, which was non-refundable if the debt collection proved unsuccessful.

To coerce victims into payment, Long instructed employees to use multiple cars branded with the company logo. These employees, divided into groups of two to five, wore uniforms and displayed visible tattoos, traveling to the private residences, workplaces, or businesses of debtors.

At these locations, Long's associates gathered in large groups, shouting insults, closely monitoring daily activities, and relentlessly harassing victims' families for days to exert intense psychological pressure. Since 2020, Long's company has executed approximately 400 to 500 such "debt trading" contracts, successfully collecting over 100 billion dong and illegally profiting 15 to 20 billion dong.

Members of Song Long company arrested. *Nhat Vy*

The gang's aggressive debt collection tactics were evident in an incident at a general clinic in Tan Thoi Hiep ward (formerly district 12). The clinic owner had a dispute over more than 5 billion dong with another individual. In late 2024, Song Long company acquired this debt.

Long immediately dispatched numerous groups of associates who repeatedly visited the private residence and clinic to issue threats. This group brazenly parked vehicles to block the facility's entrance, moved freely within professional areas, and loudly instructed people not to enter for examinations, aiming to defame and undermine the clinic's reputation.

The debt collection groups also repeatedly coerced the clinic owner's couple into signing documents confirming the debt had escalated to over 5,17 billion dong. Despite repeated invitations and warnings from the ward police, Long's gang remained defiant, continuing to guard and monitor the family for an extended period.

Employing similar tactics, the group also targeted the private residence and warehouse of another woman in Dong Hung Thuan ward. The crowd blocked the entrance, intimidating her and declaring they would follow the victim everywhere. This caused the victim's family immense fear, severely disrupting their life and business.

Exhibits seized by police. *Ho Chi Minh City Police*

During an urgent search of Long's workplace, police discovered and seized numerous computer CPUs, legal documents, debt trading contracts, income and expenditure ledgers, nearly 200 million dong in cash, and the fleet of cars the gang used for debt collection.

Ho Chi Minh City Police characterized this as a sophisticated criminal ring that intentionally exploited a business's legal status to commit property extortion. These actions directly infringed upon citizens' legitimate rights and disrupted local security.

The investigation is ongoing, with authorities continuing to pursue other individuals involved.

Quoc Thang