TUYEN QUANG (Vietnam), Feb 3 — Police in Tuyen Quang Province said yesterday they had charged three people in connection with the illegal trading of more than 8.4 billion email accounts worldwide, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported.

Police said the group operated in an organised manner, using Telegram to contact foreign counterparts and to buy or exchange leaked login credentials, including usernames and passwords obtained through cyberattacks.

Authorities said the suspects then deployed automated software to illegally access email accounts, harvest personal data and resell the information online for profit.

They were charged with illegal intrusion into computer networks, telecommunications networks or electronic systems under Article 289 of Vietnam’s Penal Code.

Investigators said the group traded more than 8.4 billion email accounts between 2024 and 2025, earning hundreds of millions of dong in illegal proceeds.

The investigation is continuing, with police seeking additional suspects. — Bernama-VNA/VNS