As of Monday, 179 telecom fraud suspects, captured in the latest joint raid operations in Laos, had been escorted back to China, the Ministry of Public Security said.

The suspects, implicated in 270 major cross-border telecom fraud cases, were detained in a joint operation between Chinese and Laotian police over the past few months, the ministry said in a press release.

The ministry sent an expert team to Laos in July to work with their Laotian peers in a law enforcement cooperation program.

The team has assisted the Laotian police in 10 raids, the closure of 10 criminal sites and apprehending the suspects, including nine criminal gang leaders or major members.

The ministry pledged deepened efforts in cooperation with relevant countries and regions to further the crackdown operations.