Abstract：Cambodia has intensified its crackdown on online scam syndicates, arresting dozens of foreign nationals and raiding multiple locations nationwide as part of a wider anti-fraud campaign, amid growing international pressure to curb transnational cybercrime.
Cambodian authorities have stepped up their crackdown on online scam syndicates, arresting at least 39 foreign nationals and raiding seven suspected scam locations within a span of just 10 days. The operations, carried out in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, signal renewed pressure on the countrys long-running online fraud problem.
According to the Secretariat of the Commission for Combating Online Scams (CCOS), those arrested include 32 South Koreans, four Chinese nationals and three Nepalis. Six of the raids were conducted in Phnom Penh, while one took place in Siem Reap, a major tourist destination. During the raids, authorities seized multiple electronic devices, including desktop computers, laptops and mobile phones believed to have been used in scam operations.
The three Nepali suspects are currently being held in pre-trial detention at the Siem Reap provincial prison. Investigators said they were involved in an online loan scam that targeted victims overseas between October 2025 and early January this year. The operation was allegedly run from a residential unit within the Premier gated community in Krous village, Svay Dangkum district.
These latest arrests form part of a broader anti-scam campaign launched by Cambodian authorities last June. Over the past six months, CCOS said it has raided 118 suspected scam sites across 18 cities and provinces nationwide.
In total, nearly 5,000 suspects have been detained so far, including close to 1,000 women. Those arrested come from a wide range of countries, reflecting the international nature of these scam syndicates. Nationals from China, Vietnam, Indonesia, India, Bangladesh, Thailand, South Korea, Pakistan, Nepal, Malaysia, Japan, Myanmar, the Philippines, Laos and several African countries are among those detained.
Authorities said more than 4,000 suspects have since been deported, while an undisclosed number of trafficking victims have been rescued during the operations. Legal proceedings are ongoing in at least 35 major cases involving more than 160 suspects and accomplices from multiple jurisdictions, including Cambodia itself.
The intensified enforcement comes amid growing international scrutiny of Cambodia‘s role in global online scam networks. Just last week, Chen Zhi, the founder and chairman of Prince Group, was arrested and extradited to China at Beijing’s request. Chen had previously been sanctioned by both the United States and the United Kingdom over allegations that he led a large-scale online investment scam targeting victims worldwide.
In October last year, the US Treasury and the UK Foreign Office imposed what they described as the largest sanctions action ever taken against a cyber fraud network in Southeast Asia, with operations linked to Cambodia and Myanmar. Prince Group was named as a central entity in those actions.
Following Chens arrest, the National Bank of Cambodia announced it had frozen the operations of Prince Bank and appointed an external audit firm as a temporary administrator. The central bank said customers would still be allowed to withdraw funds, subject to standard documentation requirements.
Prime Minister Hun Manet has repeatedly warned that enforcement efforts will not stop with scam operators alone. He said officials found to be protecting or facilitating criminal networks would also face action.
However, critics note that major crackdowns in the past have often followed pressure from foreign governments and international partners. Cambodian authorities have maintained that tackling online scams remains a priority and insist they are strengthening cooperation with overseas law enforcement agencies.
Officials have also acknowledged that online fraud is a transnational crime that cannot be solved by any one country alone, stressing that sustained cross-border cooperation is needed to dismantle the networks behind these operations, rather than short-term enforcement drives.
