(Phnom Penh, 18th) The Cambodian government has launched a heavy-handed crackdown on internet scamming syndicates, carrying out coordinated nationwide raids over multiple locations and arresting over a thousand suspects in just three days—most of whom are foreigners, involving citizens from as many as 20 countries.
This large-scale law enforcement operation was personally ordered by Prime Minister Hun Manet and covered the capital Phnom Penh, the Thai border city of Poipet, and Sihanoukville, among other places. According to a report released by the Cambodian police on Wednesday night, the arrested suspects came from countries and regions such as Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Indonesia, Bangladesh, mainland China, and Taiwan.
Chou Bun Eng, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Interior and Permanent Vice Chair of the National Committee for Counter Trafficking in Cambodia, revealed that citizens from 17 to 20 countries were involved in online scams, with the majority being Chinese nationals, followed by Vietnamese. Most suspects were lured or trafficked to Cambodia and then forced to participate in scam operations.
On Monday, Hun Manet issued a unified nationwide clearance directive, ordering law enforcement units at all levels to fully deploy in coordination with the armed forces and thoroughly sweep all scam dens in their jurisdiction. He emphasized that any officials refusing to cooperate with the operation would be dismissed without mercy.
He also instructed the relevant units to strengthen supervision of legal casinos and gaming centers and strictly prohibit illegal detention, human trafficking, and the establishment of private armed groups and other unlawful activities. The government stressed that this operation was an “urgent and unified” deployment aimed at eliminating the roots of scams and reshaping the country’s image.
In the midst of the high-pressure operation, Deputy Prosecutor Ji Xiha of Pursat Provincial Primary Court was accused of accepting bribes and illegally releasing five foreign suspects involved in scams. He was immediately suspended by the Ministry of Justice on Wednesday. Law enforcement units then quickly launched a pursuit and rearrested the five individuals.
Hun Manet has ordered the Ministry of Justice to thoroughly investigate the matter. If found true, the anti-corruption agency must deal with it in accordance with the law. He stressed that the anti-scam operation will tolerate no cover-ups, connivance, or corruption—offenders will be severely punished.
According to a recent report released by Amnesty International, there are at least 53 scam dens in Cambodia involving forced labor, torture, child labor, and human trafficking. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime also warned that Southeast Asian scam syndicate activities are spreading to South America, Africa, the Middle East, and Pacific Island countries, posing a global threat.