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A senior police official in Kandal province has been arrested on accusations of extorting a Chinese national who claimed he worked as a cook at an industrial park allegedly tied to the U.S.-sanctioned conglomerate Prince Group, a provincial prison official confirmed Friday.
Kandal deputy police chief Ul Bunna was jailed on Wednesday, provincial prison director Em Nimol told CamboJA News, confirming he had been charged with extortion but giving no further details.
The arrest followed a complaint early this month by Xiong Pan, a 28-year-old Chinese national, against Bunna and four others, the Cambodia China Times reported. Xiong said he paid more than $32,000 in installments after Bunna and other officers threatened him with jail if he did not pay more than $132,000 in alleged Metfone network fees tied to his employer, “Prince Group Industrial Park.”
Xiong said he worked only as a cook at the park, which is under construction in the province and is allegedly owned by Prince Group. The conglomerate was sanctioned by the United States and Britain last year over alleged links to online scam and trafficking networks. Its founder, Chen Zhi, was extradited to China in January.
He said he borrowed money from friends to make the payments and was later forced to sign a “settlement agreement” in Chinese. It was not immediately clear who received the funds.
Metfone did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent to its inquiry email.
Kandal provincial police chief Chhoeun Sochet declined to comment. National Police spokesperson Chhay Kim Khoeun and Interior Ministry spokesperson Touch Sokhak could not be reached. Interior Ministry Penal Department director Ngeng Chou referred questions to Kandal police.
The case has prompted calls for further investigation and raised questions about possible links to online scam operations and protection rackets.
Independent social researcher Meas Nee said online scam operations in Cambodia show “systematic engagement” and are backed by powerful figures.
He pointed to the government’s ongoing crackdown on scam networks, saying enforcement has largely targeted those directly carrying out the crimes.
“A large-scale scam operation cannot function without the involvement of high-ranking officials behind it,” Nee said, adding Bunna’s arrest underscored the need to widen investigations.
The government said it has deported more than 48,000 foreigners suspected of involvement in scam operations since 2023, shut down more than 250 sites and arrested 800 ringleaders since July last year.
The crackdown has drawn criticism from transnational crime experts, who cite a lack of probes into elites allegedly linked to the industry and insufficient protection for more than 100,000 people estimated to have been trafficked into scam compounds in the country, many of whom have fled since enforcement intensified earlier this year.
