KAMPOT, Cambodia – Cambodia has significantly escalated its crackdown on transnational fraud operations, sealing nearly 200 scam centres in recent weeks and arresting over 170 individuals linked to the criminal networks. Authorities granted rare access to a sprawling complex in Kampot province, near the Vietnam border, to demonstrate their efforts to dismantle the sophisticated operations targeting victims globally.
“You’ll see about 190 locations that we have sealed off now,” stated Chhay Sinarith, the deputy chief of Cambodia’s Secretariat of the Commission for Combating Online Scams, to Reuters earlier this week. The campaign gained momentum late last year following the extradition of a China-born alleged scam kingpin to China, a move facilitated by the United States’ indictment and subsequent cooperation. This extradition is considered the strongest international action taken thus far against these criminal networks.
The crackdown has triggered a wave of departures from these compounds, with thousands of scam workers, some of whom are believed to be victims of trafficking and held in exploitative conditions, attempting to return to their home countries. Amnesty International has described the situation as a “humanitarian crisis.”
The Kampot facility, known as My Casino, revealed a meticulously organized operation designed to defraud individuals. Journalists were shown large work rooms filled with computer stations and documents detailing methods for scamming Thai victims. The complex also included studio booths for phone calls and a remarkably detailed, albeit fraudulent, replica of an Indian police station. Indian authorities have yet to comment on the presence of the mock police facility.
While authorities confirmed the arrest of 173 senior figures connected to the scam centres and the deportation of 11,000 workers, no arrests were made within the My Casino complex itself. According to Kampot provincial police chief Mao Chanmothurith, the limited police resources – approximately 1,000 officers across the entire province, supplemented by 300 military police – hindered their ability to detain the large number of individuals fleeing the site. “Even with both forces combined, we still can’t stop them because there were about 6,000 to 7,000 of them when they left this place,” Chanmothurith explained during a government-organized tour.
The Cambodian government’s increased efforts follow years of criticism for downplaying the extent of scam operations within its borders. Previous crackdowns yielded limited results, but officials insist that the current campaign represents a broader and more focused approach, prioritizing the closure of sites and the apprehension of key individuals involved.
The recent actions align with growing international pressure to address the issue. , British Ambassador to Cambodia, Dominic Williams, met with Chhay Sinarith to express the UK’s support for the crackdown and to discuss strengthening cooperation in combating technology-related fraud. Williams lauded the results of recent operations, highlighting Cambodia’s commitment to tackling online scams and enforcing the law against those responsible.
The United States has also been a key partner in the effort. The FBI has publicly acknowledged Cambodia’s progress, stating that the country is no longer considered a safe haven for cyber fraud syndicates. Scott Schelble, FBI deputy assistant director for international operations, emphasized the importance of continued collaboration in combating this global challenge. This sentiment was echoed following the extradition of Chen Zhi to China last month, despite pending indictments in the US and sanctions from both the US and the UK.
Further demonstrating international cooperation, Thai officials recently led media and foreign delegates on a tour of a separate scam compound located in Cambodian territory, an area previously occupied by Thai troops during a border conflict in December. The site yielded similar evidence of fraudulent activities, including fake police stations from multiple countries and extensive documentation outlining scamming techniques.
The scale of the operation uncovered in Kampot and elsewhere underscores the complexity of the challenge facing Cambodian authorities. The presence of a fabricated Indian police station, for example, suggests a sophisticated attempt to deceive victims and evade detection. The sheer number of workers fleeing the compounds, coupled with the limited resources available to law enforcement, raises concerns about the potential for further exploitation and the long-term effectiveness of the crackdown.
The Cambodian government’s commitment to eradicating these scam operations, as articulated by Minister Chhay Sinarith, is being tested by the logistical and legal hurdles involved in dismantling these deeply entrenched criminal networks. The ongoing collaboration with international partners, including the US, China, and the UK, will be crucial in ensuring the sustainability of these efforts and preventing the resurgence of online fraud in the region.
