Police in district 1, Ho Chi Minh City announced on Nov 11 that they have just arrested a gang led by a Vietnamese American, who attempted to extort US$45,000 from a Canadian of Vietnamese origin.

Ho Quoc Thang, 38, conspired with a gang including Tran Quoc Phong, 29, Phan Ngoc Anh, 28 and Tran Tien Thanh, 31, to intimidate Tran Van Hoa, a 43-year-old Vietnamese Canadian into giving them the sum and incessantly vexed the victim with phone calls.

On Nov 6, Hoa, who currently lives in district 1, reported the case to local police. At around 2pm the next day, Hoa met the gang at a café on Nguyen Trai street, where he was coerced into admitting that he owed the sum to them.

However, Hoa refused and only gave them VND10 million ($472). The local police then showed up and arrested the gang, who admitted to the crime.