The Ho Chi Minh City police have arrested 11 Philippine citizens for cheating by ensnaring tourists into blackjack gambling.
According to initial reports, one 19-year-old Canadian girl named Emily Helen Garbe met 58-year-old Cesar Devilla and 48-year-old Dinido Macachor in a market in district 1 on July 13.
Both the two men were members of a gang and struck up an acquaintance with Garbe, saying they wanted some information about her country since some of their relatives were planning to go to Canada.
Gullibly, the girl accepted their invitation to visit their house at 27/10/1 Road 17 in Hiep Binh Chanh Ward in Thu Duc District where she was met by yet another member, 44-year-old Gemma D. Frend, who persuaded Garbe to play a game of blackjack for money.
After playing four games, Garbe had the feeling of being cheated and said she wanted to stop playing.
At that moment, following a tip-off from the public, police entered the house and took all of them to the District 1 police station for questioning. Police also arrested eight other gang members from 80/32 Street 17 in Hiep Binh Chanh Ward in Thu Duc district.
All the Philippine nationals confessed to the police that they ensnared foreigners in downtown HCMC, invited them to their rented house for dinner, lured them into gambling and then cheated them out of their money.
Further investigations are still being conducted.
