PHNOM PENH: Phnom Penh authorities raided two locations in Phnom Penh’s Prince Plaza Centre, on Norodom Boulevard in Tonle Bassac, following suspicions of clandestine technology-based fraud.
The May 16 raids took place in Building A and Building B, with the participation from the Commission for Combating Technology-Based Scams (CCTC), local authorities, police and representatives from the prosecutor’s office.
According to the CCTC, authorities detained a total of 104 individuals, including seven women, of six different nationalities.
Among them were 83 suspects linked to online scam operations (82 Chinese and one Vietnamese) while 21 others of five nationalities were detained for illegal residency.
Police confiscated 800 mobile phones, more than 100 computers and other related materials.
“Based on preliminary forensics, the suspects utilised the locations to carry out technology-based fraud by luring people both inside and outside the country into fake investment schemes,” explained the CCTC.
Prince Plaza is linked to the founder of Prince Bank, Chen Zhi, who was arrested in January and deported to China in connection with online fraud.
Cambodia promogulated the Law on Combating Technology-Based Scams in April. Nevertheless, online scam groups — mostly involving foreigners — continue to be discovered across the Kingdom.
A total of 457 Chinese and Vietnamese nationals, including 44 women, were deported for the involvement in online scams, illegal residency and unauthorised employment.
While 330 Chinese were deported via a charter flight from Techo International Airport, 127 Vietnamese were sent home via the Meun Chey International Border Checkpoint. - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
