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Cambodia is stepping up the fight to eliminate telecom and internet fraud across the nation, vowing to bring the operations to a closure by the end of April. According to top law enforcement officers, the crackdown is a move to ensure that the country is not used as a conduit for international scams targeting victims across the region. This move has already led to mass sweeps, a growing exodus of foreign nationals, as well as a joint effort to combat the vice internationally.
High-Pressure Campaign Against Scam Compounds
Figures released by local Chinese-language media outlet Cambodia China Times show the vigor of the clampdown since the beginning of 2026. The government says it has investigated 190 locations it suspects of fraud links and made 2,508 arrests of people linked to telecom scams. As the pressure mounted, various scam rings reportedly decided to close down on their own. Over the same period, a total of 110,095 foreign nationals left Cambodia, a shift that officials partly connect to the closure of suspected scam compounds and tighter immigration rules rolled out alongside enforcement actions.
The authorities describe the current path as a “high-pressure” campaign that seeks to eliminate the major networks of scams, hence disallowing Cambodia from becoming a haven for various criminal activities within the region. As the deadline looms in April, all law enforcement agencies have been directed to survey all possible hot spots and carry out massive inspections across the country. According to the authorities, the “high-pressure” campaign has managed to halt the major telecom scams and minimize their functionality as the authorities continue seeking to completely eradicate the vice.
Zero-Tolerance Orders from Top Leadership
National Police Commissioner Sar Thet emphasized that the police force is currently working under direct orders from their Prime Minister, Hun Manet, to eliminate fraud within the telecom industry. During a ministry review meeting, Sar Thet reaffirmed his police force’s resolve to continue carrying out their mandate, making it tough on enforcement, and removing criminal networks from the country, as the law dictates.
Hun Manet has emphasized the zero-tolerance policy against telecom fraud and the underlying offenses. In his address, the prime minister has clearly stated that any officials who are involved in the offenses by providing assistance to the scammers will be penalized under the most stringent legal actions. For the PM, the telecom crackdown is not just about crime, but it is more about the security of the nation, as it is increasingly being threatened by the internet and telecom scams.
International Backing and Regional Cooperation
Moreover, Cambodia has won support for its crusade against these crimes from other nations as well. Meeting Between the Chinese Ambassador and the Minister of the Interior of Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister
On the 7th of February, the Chinese ambassador to Cambodia, Mr. Wenbin, commended the government of Cambodia “for its unwavering commitment to enforcing laws in the country.” This is because China wholeheartedly endorses the government’s crackdown on telecom fraud. This meeting speaks to the trend in the region, which is that these crimes are now deeply rooted in the area.
Sources suggest that the Interior Ministry has announced a move across the country aimed at ridding the nation of these threats, with the intent of concluding the major phase of the crackdown by the end of April. According to the ministry’s spokesperson, Sok Touch, the operation is currently taking place all over the country. This means that the whole operation is not limited to a few places but rather seeks to cover all suspected places.
Turning Point After High-Profile Arrest
Such an increase in the rate of enforcement follows after an important landmark in the partnership between Cambodia and China that happened in the first few months of the calendar year. In early January, the Cambodian government apprehended alleged kingpin of scams Chen Zhi and then deported him to China shortly after his capture, in one of the most defining moments in the shift in tactics against the lower-ranking participants in the scams, focusing on the high-ranking organizers such as the now-apprehended Chen Zhi.
Cambodia immediately began a widely publicized crackdown against the online scam world after the repatriation of Chen Zhi. The current figures, enforcement efforts, and statements from high-ranking officials indicate that the government is trying to show that it is serious about changing the country’s image and shutting the door on telecom fraud rings. With the deadline of the end of April looming, the government now has the task of ensuring that its tough stance translates into long-term change.
Source: Asia Gaming Brief (AGB)
