A couple faces jail time for illegally bringing two Vietnamese teenagers into the UK. They exploited the teens for profit.
Doan was on the same flight as the teenagers. He had recently traveled to Vietnam from Frodsham. Documents indicated the teens were part of an Oxford trip, which included nine other students for two weeks.
The teenagers, aged 16 and 14, initially went to Oxford. Afterward, Doan returned to Frodsham. However, the teens acquired phones and contacted Doan repeatedly using one phone number.
On June 29, Doan traveled to London from Frodsham. The teenagers also traveled to London from Oxford, coinciding with their school trip. Doan seemingly picked them up and brought them to Frodsham.
Months later, on September 29, an employee visited Hoang and Doan’s rental property. The employee saw the 14-year-old girl there. Authorities later discovered they were in a relationship.
Police and immigration officers visited a nail salon in Frodsham on December 12. Hoang was present, along with the 16-year-old boy. Checks revealed that the boy was a missing person.
Hoang, who ran the nail bar, claimed she did not know the boy. She stated he had only walked in before the police arrived. However, she was arrested for modern slavery, and police protected the teenager.
Doan was present at the nail salon but was not arrested. He appeared to be an employee and did not show any obvious connection with Hoang. On January 14, Doan contacted the 14-year-old girl.
The two traveled to London. Doan returned to Frodsham without her, concealing her from the authorities. On January 15, she sought help from the police, stating she had been homeless for six months.
An investigation linked the girl to Doan. Consequently, he and Hoang were arrested and charged. A third person was also charged, but these charges were later dropped.
The couple appeared in court, where Hoang received 27 months in jail and Doan received 54 months. Police believe they brought the teens to the UK for exploitation.
The teens likely believed they were coming to the UK for a better life. Instead, the couple exploited them for profit. They attempted to conceal their crimes, denying knowing the boy and hiding the girl.
Police collaborated with other agencies to gather evidence leading to their guilty pleas. Police continue to combat this type of crime. They urge the community to share any information or suspicions, so that we can protect vulnerable people and punish the criminals.