PHNOM PENH: Cambodian authorities have detained 15 Chinese nationals during a coordinated crackdown on alleged online scam operations in the capital, as the Royal Government moves to meet a self-imposed deadline to eradicate technology-based fraud.
A joint task force, operating under the unified command of the Phnom Penh municipal administration, raided four suspected locations linked to cyber-fraud schemes in Borey Orkide, Khan Chroy Changvar, on Tuesday.
The operation led to the arrest of 15 suspects. Authorities seized 43 mobile phones, five laptop computers, a GAC GN8 vehicle, and a packet of suspected narcotics, among other equipment believed to have been used in illegal activities.
The crackdown was directed by Phnom Penh Governor H.E. Khuong Sreng and Municipal Police Chief Lt. Gen. Chuon Narin, with oversight from Deputy Prosecutor Tin Sochetra of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court. Two properties identified as crime scenes have been temporarily sealed pending further investigation.
The suspects and confiscated items have been transferred to the municipal police for questioning and case preparation.
According to the Secretariat of the Commission for Combating Online Scams (CCOS), nationwide efforts have resulted in the closure of 236 locations between 2025 and the second week of March 2026. These include 91 casino-linked sites and 145 other premises such as boreys, villas, condominiums and residential houses.
Data from the Ministry of Justice shows Cambodian courts have handled 79 online scam-related cases over the past eight months, involving 697 individuals from multiple countries, including China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Singapore, Nepal, India, Malaysia, Cambodia, Pakistan and Thailand.
Authorities estimate that more than 220,000 individuals linked to such transnational fraud networks have fled Cambodia via air and land routes.
Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet has pledged to eliminate technology-based scam operations in the country by April 2026, reiterating that Cambodia “will not serve as a haven for cybercriminals” and that those involved will face the full extent of the law without exception.
