Cambodia’s one year crackdown on online scam has led to more than 300 Cambodian nationals being placed in pretrial detention, which are among the 268 cases that were referred to the court, according to a press release issued after the Cabinet meeting.
The results of the first-year nationwide campaign, which ran from July 2025 to June 2026, were announced during last week’s Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Hun Manet.
According to the government, the 268 cases involve 2,773 suspects, with about 2,200 held in pretrial detention pending legal proceedings, including 313 Cambodian nationals.
Cambodia has for several years now been identified as a major hub for online scam operations. The United Nations estimated that at least 100,000 people have been forced to work in scam compounds across the country.
Despite mounting international scrutiny, the government said the year-long campaign had “exceeded expectations.”
“Criminal organizations, kingpins, and their accomplices have been dismantled and suppressed through these enforcement measures, enhancing Cambodia’s reputation on the international stage,” it stated.
Over the past year, authorities raided 665 locations suspected of being linked to online scam operations and inspected 195 casinos. As a result, 19 casino licenses were revoked, 30 casinos suspended, and 23 casinos ceasing operation after their licenses expired. Authorities said the remaining casinos inspected were not found to be involved in online scam operations.
During the campaign, Cambodian authorities also deported about 21,000 foreign nationals from 38 countries. The majority were Chinese, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Thai and Bangladeshi nationals.
The crackdown followed growing international pressure, including U.S. sanctions targeting individuals allegedly linked to online scam operations, human trafficking and money laundering. During the campaign, several high-profile were arrested in Cambodia and extradited to China, including alleged scam-network mastermind Chen Zhi, Jinbei Group founder Liu Ren and former Huione Group chairman Li Xiong.
Chen Zhi, who founded the sanctioned Prince Holding Group, was also a former advisor to Hun Manet and his father Hun Sen. He might face the death penalty in China, with prosecutors there adding copyright infringement and intentional injury to the list of charges against him.
The Cambodian government said it has continued to portray itself as being committed to dismantling online scam networks. As part of that effort, it would host the International Conference on Anti-Online Scams in Phnom Penh in September, aimed at strengthening international cooperation against cyber-enabled crime.
The conference is expected to bring together ministerial-level representatives from 16 countries, senior technical officials from 14 countries and delegates from six international organizations.
Speaking to Bloomberg last week, Hun Manet acknowledged that authorities had dismantled many large scam compounds, but the remaining operations had “become smaller, more fragmented and harder to detect”.
“It is more complex than the centralized locations, but we remain committed to continuing the crackdown,” he said.
Hun Manet said the government’s response extended beyond raids on scam compounds, noting that several high-ranking officials had been removed from their positions after evidence linked them to online scam activities.
However, when asked about U.S.-sanctioned senators Ly Yong Phat and Kok An, Hun Manet said the sanctions were a personal matter for the two senators and both of them had hired legal teams to challenge the sanctions and clear their names.
Am Sam Ath, operations director at rights group Licadho, said the figures represented a positive step in dismantling online scam operations. However, the government must investigate all allegations transparently, including those involving senior officials, to demonstrate its commitment and restore public and international trust, he added.
He also urged Cambodians to remain vigilant against fraudulent job offers, warning that promises of high salaries could lure people into working at scam compounds or smaller online scam operations.
