Big Take Asia Podcast
It Was Supposed to Be an Economic Hub. It Became a Criminal’s Paradise
How the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone in Laos became a notorious hub for drugs, scammers and human traffickers.
A hotel and casino located in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone
Photographer: Thomas Cristofoletti for Bloomberg Businessweek
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A Chinese businessman persuaded officials to establish a special economic zone in a remote part of Laos. The gamblers arrived first. Then came the drug runners, human traffickers and scammers.
On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, host K. Oanh Ha speaks with Bloomberg Businessweek editor Matt Campbell about his investigation into the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone and how it became a criminal’s paradise.
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