Vietnam’s Ministry of Information and Communications has ordered telecom providers to block the messaging app Telegram after it reportedly failed to cooperate in tackling criminal activities on its platform, Reuters reported on Friday, citing an official government document.

The document, dated May 21, instructs telecom companies to immediately block Telegram and submit reports on their actions to the ministry by June 2.

It also directs providers to implement measures to prevent Telegram’s operations in Vietnam.

According to the report, this action follows a police investigation revealing that 68% of the 9,600 Telegram channels and groups in Vietnam were linked to illegal activities, including fraud, drug trafficking, and possible terrorism-related acts.

The government’s cybersecurity department has been actively involved in probing these offenses.

A technology ministry official confirmed that the document is genuine, stating that Telegram had repeatedly refused to provide user data requested by the government as part of ongoing criminal investigations.

The document alleges that several Telegram groups, each with tens of thousands of members, were created by “opposition and reactionary elements” to disseminate anti-government content.

It also criticizes Telegram for failing to comply with national laws requiring social media platforms to monitor, remove, and block illegal content.

The move comes just ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron’s scheduled visit to Vietnam on Sunday. Macron has also raised concerns about Telegram’s handling of user data, adding international weight to the pressure on the platform.