Cambodian authorities have shut down 86 large-scale online scam compounds nationwide and placed them under government control, while 5,778 suspects are currently being held in prisons as part of an ongoing crackdown on online scams, a senior minister said.
Senior Minister in Charge of Special Missions Chhay Sinarith, head of the Secretariat of the Commission for Combating Online Scams (CCOS), said 529 cases had been filed with the courts as authorities continued investigations into criminal networks, money laundering and alleged abuses linked to scam operations.
In an interview with RFI Khmer on Friday, Sinarith said the crackdown had brought the situation under greater control, although smaller-scale scam operations continued to emerge in some locations.
“Based on investigations and on-site inspections, 86 scam compounds have been shut down and placed under the control of government authorities, and legal action is being taken,” he said.
He said investigations covered organised criminal networks, actual scam activities, possible torture and unlawful confinement, the recruitment of victims into scam compounds and money-laundering operations.
Each case was being investigated comprehensively, rather than focusing solely on the premises where the crimes were committed, he added.
Sinarith said authorities had identified approximately 97 organised criminal networks operating in Cambodia, involving online scams and money laundering through legitimate businesses, while around 100 additional networks had been identified overseas.
The networks involved foreign nationals from nearly 40 countries, including China, Indonesia, Vietnam, India and Thailand.
He said the major masterminds were predominantly Chinese nationals, while Cambodian nationals could also have been recruited or lured into criminal activities.
Regarding the legal status of those arrested, Sinarith said 529 cases had reached the courts, with 5,778 people currently detained in prisons. Those detained included Chinese, Japanese, Indian and Vietnamese nationals, among others.
Despite the closure of major compounds, authorities were still discovering smaller-scale operations almost daily, he said.
Such activities had been identified in Preah Sihanouk and Banteay Meanchey provinces, particularly in Poipet, as well as in Phnom Penh.
However, he stressed that the government would not tolerate any form of online scam activity, regardless of its scale.
“Our anti-scam law is being strictly enforced, particularly against property owners who continue to provide opportunities for these groups to operate, whether intentionally or unintentionally. They must be held accountable,” he said.
He warned that property owners who knowingly allowed criminal groups to use their premises could face legal consequences and the confiscation of their properties.
Regarding the future of the 86 closed compounds, Sinarith said decisions would depend on individual court cases and rulings on asset confiscation.
He explained that confiscation could extend beyond the premises used for criminal activities to include assets used by criminal groups to launder money.
Sinarith acknowledged that combating online scams remained challenging but said political commitment and coordinated law enforcement efforts were preventing criminal groups from establishing safe havens in urban centres or remote rural areas.
He also defended the government’s investigation process, saying authorities needed sufficient evidence to identify the actual perpetrators and ensure that legal charges were properly supported before courts made their decisions.
“When bringing charges, we must ensure that we identify and arrest the actual perpetrators and have sufficient evidence for the court to make a decision,” he said.
The government intensified its nationwide crackdown on online scam operations in 2025, pledging to eliminate the criminal activities and dismantle the networks behind them.
- Tags: Cambodia, online scams
