Amnesty Report Exposes Failures in Cambodia’s Scamming Compound Crackdown

Amnesty International reports that Cambodia’s high-profile crackdown on scamming compounds has failed to dismantle most sites or protect victims of human trafficking. According to a report released June 8, 2026, more than 70% of identified compounds were bypassed by state efforts, with evidence of police collusion and systemic abuse of survivors.

The organization’s 150-page research paper, titled “Falling Through the Cracks: Cambodia’s ‘Crackdown’ on Scamming Compounds,” documents a significant gap between the Cambodian government’s public claims and the reality on the ground. While authorities claim to have shut down more than 200 scam centers since July 2025, Amnesty International found that state intervention occurred at only 24 of the 86 compounds it identified.

Amnesty’s findings are based on interviews conducted between July 2025 and April 2026 with 73 survivors from 16 different countries, including Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Colombia, Ecuador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Indonesia, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Morocco, Niger, Uganda, and Venezuela.

Why did the scamming compound crackdown fail?

The failure of the crackdown is attributed to a lack of transparency and apparent collusion between police and compound managers. Amnesty International found that some compounds simply moved locations to evade raids. In other cases, survivors reported that managers were warned of police interventions in advance, allowing them to move victims and flee.

In one specific instance at a compound in Prey Veng (PV01), survivors claimed that police regularly visited the site to drink coffee with managers and remove dead bodies, yet no arrests were made during the official crackdown period.

“The Cambodian government has carefully managed the optics of its scamming crackdown, but behind every headline about a compound raid or arrest are survivors of slavery, torture and rape left with almost no support.”

Montse Ferrer, Amnesty International’s Co-Regional Director

How were trafficking victims treated by authorities?

Despite meeting internationally recognized definitions of trafficking, none of the 73 survivors interviewed by Amnesty International were recognized as victims of human trafficking by the Cambodian government. Instead of receiving protection, many survivors were treated as criminals.

Survivors reported being left to sleep on the streets or held in overcrowded immigration centers. Some victims alleged that police extorted them or threatened them. Winta, a survivor trafficked from East Africa at age 16 after being promised a job on a cruise ship, stated that when police finally arrived after she had been abandoned, they threatened to return her to the compound rather than provide assistance.

What abuses occurred inside the compounds?

The report details widespread torture and sexual violence. Six women described being subjected to rape and other ill-treatment. Five of these women reported being raped by team leaders or managers, with two becoming pregnant as a result.

Cecilia, a survivor from Brazil, reported that a manager used her as a “present” for successful scammers, inviting them to rape her as a reward for their work. She also provided evidence of bruises caused by a manager using a baseball bat after discovering her father had contacted the police.

What is the link between casinos and scam compounds?

Amnesty International has identified a continuing link between state-approved casinos and criminal scam operations. An investigation in April 2026 found that 12 casinos linked to scam compounds had received state approval despite the ongoing crackdown. The newest report identifies four additional casinos that submitted plans showing they owned buildings used as scamming compounds.

Montse Ferrer stated that the government’s lack of transparency makes it impossible to verify claims of closures and undermines trust in the process. The Cambodian government has not responded to questions from Amnesty International regarding the investigation, while journalists and rescue workers have faced intimidation and arrests.

Amnesty International is calling for the international community to increase pressure on the Cambodian government to investigate all compounds and related casinos, properly identify trafficking victims, and provide necessary healthcare and legal support.