Cambodia Arrests 1,000 in Sweeping Cybercrime Crackdown

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Cambodia has arrested over 1,000 people in a sweeping crackdown on cybercrime operations, as Prime Minister Hun Manet orders urgent action to combat international scam networks embedded within the country.

 

The coordinated raids, which began on Monday, spanned at least five provinces, including Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville and Poipet — the latter already infamous for cyberscam and illegal gambling hubs. Suspects include hundreds of foreign nationals from Vietnam, China, Taiwan, Indonesia, and Thailand. Authorities also seized computers, mobile phones, and other equipment believed to be used in large-scale online scams.

 

“The government has observed that online scams are currently causing threats and insecurity in the world and the region,” Hun Manet’s statement read. He authorised the operations citing the need to “maintain and protect security, public order, and social safety.”

 

Cybercrime syndicates operating from Southeast Asia are estimated to generate billions annually, according to the UN and other agencies. These scams often rely on trafficked workers, many of whom are lured into the region with false job offers and then forcibly employed in criminal operations — a pattern human rights groups say is widespread in Cambodia.

 

Amnesty International recently accused the Cambodian government of turning a blind eye to abuses occurring in over 50 scam compounds across the country, citing evidence of human trafficking, forced labour, and torture. “Survivors describe being trapped in a living nightmare,” said Amnesty’s Secretary General, Agnes Callamard.

 

The raids come at a time of rising political tension between Cambodia and Thailand, following a brief border skirmish in May. What began as a territorial dispute has since escalated into a war of words and tit-for-tat actions, including Thai closures of border crossings and power cuts to Poipet. Thailand claims its actions target cybercriminal activity; Cambodia accuses its neighbour of petty retaliation.

 

While the crackdown is being promoted by Phnom Penh as a law-and-order success, critics remain sceptical. With foreign criminal networks so deeply embedded — and accusations of state complicity mounting — many question whether this marks real reform or simply a show of force under growing international pressure.

 

-2025-07-17