(TAP) – Recently, Cambodian police launched a strong campaign to crack down on online scams, arresting over 1,000 suspects. This action followed a prior warning from President Hun Manet, who threatened to dismiss senior officials if they failed to stop online fraud nationwide.
According to the Cambodian Ministry of Information on July 16, law enforcement agencies have recently raided multiple locations, including the capital Phnom Penh, the border city of Poipet (Banteay Meanchey Province), and the coastal city of Sihanoukville, arresting over 1,000 suspects involved in online scams.
Cambodia arrests over 1,000 suspects involved in online scams. Source: Cambodian Ministry of Information
Most of the arrests were reported to involve foreign nationals. According to the Associated Press (AP), which compiled data from the Cambodian Ministry of Information, there are at least 200 suspects holding Vietnamese nationality, 27 Chinese nationals, 75 from Taiwan, and 85 Cambodian citizens. Police also seized numerous devices used in the scam operations, including computers and hundreds of mobile phones. Additionally, other reports from Phnom Penh government agencies noted suspects of Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Indonesian nationality.
This move followed a statement by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet on July 15, demanding governors and security forces to dismantle online scam networks. Specific actions included shutting down fraudulent websites, deporting foreigners who entered the country illegally, and tightening control over casinos. According to Khmer Times on July 17, Manet warned that senior officials would be dismissed or reassigned if they failed to take immediate action. The directive emphasized that online scams currently pose a security threat to Cambodia.
The Cambodian government has identified online scams as a security threat. Source: Cambodian Ministry of Information
Last month (June 2025), Amnesty International (AI) reported that online scams are directly linked to human trafficking, slavery, and child labor. The reason is that workers are easily recruited into scam criminal groups, then detained and tortured if they fail to meet work demands. AI also accused the Cambodian government of turning a blind eye to serious human rights violations while Chinese criminal gangs operate in more than 50 scam hubs across Phnom Penh.
Amnesty International reports on online scams in Cambodia. Source: Amnesty International
Kane Nguyen