Cambodia: over 700 sites inspected, government says 'no online scam compounds' remain

Before nearly 50 representatives of foreign diplomatic missions and international organisations, the Cambodian government laid out the results of its nationwide campaign against online scams: hundreds of sites inspected, tens of thousands of people detained, and sanctions reaching into the ranks of the state itself.

H.E. Chhay Sinarith

A campaign measured in numbers

At a briefing held on 27 August at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, H.E. Chhay Sinarith, Senior Minister in charge of Special Mission and Head of the Secretariat of the Ad-Hoc Commission for Combating Online Scams (CCOS), detailed the results of the campaign under way since July 2025. Between July 2025 and 20 August 2026, specialised law enforcement forces investigated 793 suspected locations, of which 624 saw an actual crackdown carried out. Nearly 30,000 suspects, of 39 different nationalities, were detained during these operations. Authorities also collected evidence at 169 further locations, abandoned by suspects who fled before law enforcement arrived.

Tens of thousands of foreign nationals repatriated

The figures presented show 58,266 foreign nationals rescued and deported, including 7,282 women. Among them, 22,045 people from 38 countries were identified as directly involved in online scam operations.

Cambodia's courts at work

On the judicial front, 408 case files were compiled and forwarded to the courts. Following judicial proceedings, 3,477 suspects from 29 nationalities were arrested and placed in pre-trial detention, while authorities continue actively pursuing 855 further suspects wanted under court-issued arrest warrants.

Sanctions reaching into state ranks

H.E. Chhay Sinarith stressed that strict legal action had also targeted public officials found to be involved or complicit. The Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) opened four cases, leading to the arrest of 15 senior officials and law enforcement officers, among them a deputy prosecutor, a deputy director general of immigration, a deputy commissioner of the Phnom Penh Municipal Police, a former director general at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and other police and military officers.

A criminal landscape in flux

The minister nonetheless acknowledged that criminal networks have adapted their methods since the dismantling of large-scale compounds. Some groups are said to have shifted toward smaller, decentralised operations hidden in guesthouses, condominiums, rental properties, vehicles and coffee shops. Cambodian authorities are continuing investigations and crackdowns against these new forms of activity. The Commercial Gambling Management Commission of Cambodia (CGMC), for its part, has taken action against 27 casinos, revoking the licences of 18 and suspending those of nine others, with inspections and legal measures continuing against establishments involved in unauthorised online gambling or sports betting.

Strengthening the legal framework

Beyond enforcement on the ground, Cambodia says it wants to reinforce its legal framework to prevent any resurgence of the phenomenon. H.E. Chhay Sinarith said the government is accelerating work on a Draft Cybersecurity Law, a Draft Cybercrime Law and regulations governing virtual assets, alongside continued implementation of the existing Law on Combating Online Scams. These measures, he said, reflect Cambodia's political commitment to fighting online crime and strengthening cybersecurity and socio-economic security.

An international conference in Phnom Penh this September

The minister also announced that Cambodia will host the International Conference on Combating Online Scams on 23–24 September 2026, under the theme 'Acting Together towards Breaking the Chain and Eradication of Online Scams'. The conference will bring together government representatives, international organisations, law enforcement agencies, financial institutions, technology companies and research institutions around a shared goal: exchanging experience and best practice, and strengthening international cooperation against the phenomenon. H.E. Chhay Sinarith called for active participation from all stakeholders, stressing that online scams represent a complex global crime requiring concrete international cooperation.