Cambodia turns scam hub into deportation centre

Cambodian authorities have confirmed that a former online scam compound in Takeo province has been repurposed as a temporary detention centre for foreigners awaiting deportation.

The site, known locally as “Mango Park 2”, was once operated under the name Sophameth Residence Co., Ltd. and sprawls across five hectares in Bati district. It contains a warehouse and 13 buildings with nearly 350 rooms. The complex was shut down in July 2025 during a major crackdown on online fraud, led by General Chuon Sovann and coordinated with prosecutors, police and armed forces.

Officials now say the compound has been handed over to the Ministry of Interior and placed under the management of the General Department of Immigration. It will serve as a holding facility for foreign nationals prior to deportation, a move the Takeo Provincial Administration described as part of wider efforts to tighten border security and combat transnational crime.

The transformation highlights Cambodia’s ongoing struggle with online scam operations, many of which have been linked to human trafficking and organised crime networks across Southeast Asia. In recent years, large compounds disguised as residential or business centres have been raided, revealing hundreds of foreign workers allegedly coerced into running fraudulent schemes.

By converting Mango Park 2 into a detention facility, the government aims to streamline deportation procedures while signalling a tougher stance against criminal enterprises that exploit Cambodia’s territory. Authorities have urged continued vigilance, stressing that cooperation between local administrations, national security bodies and the judiciary remains crucial to dismantling such networks.

The announcement comes amid growing regional pressure to curb cyber fraud and protect vulnerable migrant workers. For Cambodia, the repurposing of a notorious scam hub into a state-run detention centre is both symbolic and practical: a reminder of the scale of the problem, and a step towards reclaiming control over spaces once dominated by illicit activity.

-2026-02-16