Cambodian authorities have deported a further 319 Chinese nationals accused of involvement in online scam operations, according to the General Department of Immigration.
The group was flown out of the country on a special chartered flight, in coordination with Chinese embassy officials in Phnom Penh. The department said the move reflects Cambodia’s intensified campaign to tackle technology-based crime and dismantle online fraud networks operating within its borders.
Officials described the deportations as part of a broader government effort to protect public safety and eliminate criminal groups, including those believed to be directing operations from behind the scenes. They also said the crackdown aims to free individuals who may have been trafficked or coerced into participating in scam activities, allowing them to return to their home countries.
Since the beginning of 2026, Cambodian police have conducted raids at 190 locations across Phnom Penh and seven other provinces. More than 2,500 foreign nationals have been detained in connection with alleged online fraud. Those arrested include citizens of China, Nepal, Malaysia, Laos, India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
Authorities say the ongoing operations have also prompted more than 110,000 foreign nationals, including Chinese, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Indian, Bangladeshi, and Pakistani citizens, to leave Cambodia in recent weeks.
According to the immigration department, nearly 1,000 people linked to online scam activities have been deported in the past several days alone. Of those, 241 were expelled on February 5, 2026, 110 on February 7, 2026, and 312 on February 8, 2026.
Touch Sokhak, deputy spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior, previously said the government had launched what he described as a large-scale operation, setting April 2026 as the deadline to eliminate online scam compounds nationwide. He warned that if such activities are found in any province or city after that date, local authorities would be held accountable.
The Ministry of Interior has reported that during the first nine months of 2025, national police carried out 48 operations targeting technology-based fraud. A total of 168 suspects were sent to court, while 2,722 foreign nationals were deported to their countries of origin.
Cambodia has faced growing international scrutiny over the rise of online scam centres in recent years, with reports that some workers were lured or trafficked into the country. The government says its latest campaign demonstrates a commitment to dismantling these networks and restoring confidence in the country’s law enforcement efforts.
