PHNOM PENH: Cambodia has eliminated large-scale online scam compounds following a rigorous, year-long nationwide crackdown, according to a press release from the Secretariat of the Ad-Hoc Commission for Combating Online Scams (CCOS) issued on Friday (Aug 28).
Senior Minister Chhay Sinarith, head of the CCOS, revealed that specialised law enforcement forces inspected 793 suspected locations between July 2025 and Aug 20, 2026. These operations led to direct crackdowns on 624 sites and the detention of nearly 30,000 suspects.
Additionally, authorities targeted 27 casinos, permanently revoking the licenses of 18 establishments and suspending nine others.
Sinarith emphasized that online scam compounds have been "entirely eradicated" through strict legal actions against criminal networks and complicit officials.
He shared these updates on Thursday afternoon during a briefing with approximately 50 representatives from foreign diplomatic missions and international organizations in Cambodia.
Detailing the legal measures taken, Sinarith said that Cambodian authorities rescued and deported 58,266 foreign nationals, including 7,282 women. Out of these, 22,045 individuals across 38 nationalities were found to be directly involved in online scam operations.
Alongside mass deportations, law enforcement initiated strict judicial proceedings against key targets, forwarding 408 cases to the courts, he said, adding that following these procedures, 3,477 suspects from 29 nationalities were placed in pre-trial detention. Authorities are actively pursuing 855 additional suspects under court-issued arrest warrants.
He said the crackdown also targeted internal corruption. The Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) acted on four specific cases, arresting 15 high-ranking officials and law enforcement officers, including a deputy court prosecutor, a deputy director general of immigration, a deputy commissioner of Phnom Penh Municipal Police, and a former director general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
"Although large-scale sites have been completely cleared, criminal groups have altered their tactics to decentralized, small-scale activities, hiding in guesthouses, condominiums, rental houses, vehicles, and coffee shops," he said.
He added that Cambodian law enforcement is maintaining its relentless investigation and crackdown operations without exception.
Sinarith said that Cambodia will host the International Conference on Combating Online Scams on Sept. 23-24.
Operating under the theme "Acting Together towards Breaking the Chain and Eradication of Online Scams," the event will bring together government delegates, international organizations, law enforcement, financial institutions, tech companies, and research institutes to share best practices and strengthen global cooperation against this global threat, he added. - XInhua
