PHNOM PENH: Ministry of Interior authorities shut down 85 remaining small-scale locations involved in online scams during operations conducted throughout August, detaining 1,255 suspects of 13 nationalities, according to the National Police.
A police report detailed that those detained included 732 Chinese nationals, 323 Vietnamese, 94 Cambodians, 53 Thais, 24 Indonesians, nine Myanmar nationals, four Nepalis, four Malaysians, three Indians, three Pakistanis, three Bangladeshis, two South Koreans and one Laotian.
During the same period, the Immigration Department processed the deportation of 2,005 foreign nationals, including 320 women, of 32 nationalities. Of them, 574 individuals, including 11 women from 11 separate nations, were positively linked to online scams.
In cooperation with the Chinese embassy, the Immigration Department deported 473 Chinese nationals, including 20 women, on three charter flights.
In the same month, routine administrative inspections were conducted at 3,657 locations involving 17,834 people. They also carried out roadside inspections, stopping suspected vehicles on 269 occasions and checking the papers 2,763 people.
“These operations are an important part of preventing criminals from moving from one place to another, as the authorities continue to use an ‘iron fist’ to crush and eliminate these offences without relenting,” the report said.
Authorities fined the owners and managers of any locations found to be housing individuals who are present in the Kingdom illegally, or engaged in illegal activities.
A total of 822.24 million riel (US$205,560) worth of fines were issued, with higher fines issued to landlords who knowingly rented or leased property to illegal residents. - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
