National
• 2 hours ago• Lim_Rothanaksambath
Cambodia Reports Major Progress in Crackdown on Cyber Scam Operations
PHNOM PENH, August 28, 2026 – Cambodian authorities have reported significant progress in dismantling large-scale cyber scam operations across the country, following a year-long crackdown that has led to the investigation of nearly 800 sites and the arrest of thousands of suspects, according to a Ministry of Information report.
The announcement was made during a meeting with nearly 50 foreign diplomats and international organization representatives at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on August 27, where Secretary of State Chhay Sinnarith, head of the Anti-Cyber Scam Committee, presented a comprehensive update on the government's anti-scam campaign.
Between July 2025 and August 20, 2026, authorities investigated 793 suspected locations, successfully cracking down on 624 sites. An additional 169 locations were found abandoned by fleeing criminals. Nearly 30,000 suspects from 39 nationalities were detained, with 58,266 foreign nationals—including 7,282 women—repatriated. Of these, 22,045 individuals from 38 nationalities were directly linked to cyber scam operations.
Legal proceedings have been pursued against core offenders, with 408 cases sent to court. A total of 3,477 suspects from 29 nationalities are currently in pre-trial detention, including Chinese, Bangladeshi, Vietnamese, Myanmar, Cambodian, Lao, Malaysian, Pakistani, Indonesian, Filipino, Nepali, Yemeni, Swiss, South African, Kenyan, Cameroonian, Moroccan, Sri Lankan, Kyrgyz, Australian, Ukrainian, French, Japanese, South Korean, Singaporean, and Thai nationals.
Arrest warrants have been issued for an additional 855 suspects, and authorities continue to pursue those who remain at large.
Photo: MFAIC
The Anti-Corruption Unit has taken action in four cases, detaining 15 suspects, including senior officials and law enforcement officers such as a deputy prosecutor, a deputy immigration director-general, a deputy police commissioner of Phnom Penh, and a former director-general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as several police and military officers.
While large-scale centers have been significantly disrupted, authorities have noted that criminal groups have shifted to smaller, more discreet operations, using rental houses, condominiums, hotels, vehicles, and coffee shops. Authorities have pledged to continue monitoring and cracking down on these activities without exception.
The Commercial Gambling Management Commission has also taken action, shutting down 27 casinos, revoking licenses from 18, and suspending 9 others, while enforcing strict measures against online gambling and sports betting.
Cambodia is also expediting the development of additional legal frameworks, including draft laws on cybersecurity, information technology crimes, and virtual asset regulation.
The government will host an international conference on combating cyber scams on September 23–24, 2026, under the theme "Together Towards Cutting the Chains and Ending Cyber Scams," with participation from governments, international organizations, law enforcement agencies, financial institutions, and technology companies.
— Source: Ministry of Information
Reported by The Khmer Daily Network
The announcement was made during a meeting with nearly 50 foreign diplomats and international organization representatives at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on August 27, where Secretary of State Chhay Sinnarith, head of the Anti-Cyber Scam Committee, presented a comprehensive update on the government's anti-scam campaign.
Between July 2025 and August 20, 2026, authorities investigated 793 suspected locations, successfully cracking down on 624 sites. An additional 169 locations were found abandoned by fleeing criminals. Nearly 30,000 suspects from 39 nationalities were detained, with 58,266 foreign nationals—including 7,282 women—repatriated. Of these, 22,045 individuals from 38 nationalities were directly linked to cyber scam operations.
Legal proceedings have been pursued against core offenders, with 408 cases sent to court. A total of 3,477 suspects from 29 nationalities are currently in pre-trial detention, including Chinese, Bangladeshi, Vietnamese, Myanmar, Cambodian, Lao, Malaysian, Pakistani, Indonesian, Filipino, Nepali, Yemeni, Swiss, South African, Kenyan, Cameroonian, Moroccan, Sri Lankan, Kyrgyz, Australian, Ukrainian, French, Japanese, South Korean, Singaporean, and Thai nationals.
Arrest warrants have been issued for an additional 855 suspects, and authorities continue to pursue those who remain at large.
Photo: MFAICThe Anti-Corruption Unit has taken action in four cases, detaining 15 suspects, including senior officials and law enforcement officers such as a deputy prosecutor, a deputy immigration director-general, a deputy police commissioner of Phnom Penh, and a former director-general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as several police and military officers.
While large-scale centers have been significantly disrupted, authorities have noted that criminal groups have shifted to smaller, more discreet operations, using rental houses, condominiums, hotels, vehicles, and coffee shops. Authorities have pledged to continue monitoring and cracking down on these activities without exception.
The Commercial Gambling Management Commission has also taken action, shutting down 27 casinos, revoking licenses from 18, and suspending 9 others, while enforcing strict measures against online gambling and sports betting.
Cambodia is also expediting the development of additional legal frameworks, including draft laws on cybersecurity, information technology crimes, and virtual asset regulation.
The government will host an international conference on combating cyber scams on September 23–24, 2026, under the theme "Together Towards Cutting the Chains and Ending Cyber Scams," with participation from governments, international organizations, law enforcement agencies, financial institutions, and technology companies.
— Source: Ministry of Information
Reported by The Khmer Daily Network
