Cambodia raids uncover Japanese police uniforms in scam center

Cambodia has launched one of its toughest crackdowns yet on online scam networks, shutting down a casino in Sihanoukville and raiding multiple sites in Phnom Penh — where police discovered suspects using Japanese police uniforms to impersonate law enforcement.

On 5 April, authorities sealed the Gang Dao casino after finding it linked to a syndicate. A total of 108 suspects — 105 Chinese nationals and three Burmese — were detained, alongside nearly 500 computers and more than 1,000 mobile phones. The Commercial Gambling Management Commission revoked the casino’s licence, citing violations of gambling laws.

The following day, Phnom Penh police raided several operations in Sen Sok district. At one condominium, officers uncovered a replica Japanese police station, complete with forged documents and five sets of Japanese police uniforms. Eight foreigners — five Japanese and three Chinese — were arrested for allegedly running scams targeting victims in Japan.

Another raid at Galaxy Garden exposed a larger network involving 218 suspects from China, Bangladesh, Vietnam, India and other countries. Investigators say the group used fake police identities to run romance scams and investment frauds. Hundreds of computers, phones and forged IDs were seized.

The crackdown coincides with Cambodia’s new Law on Combating Online Scams, which introduces offences such as online fraud, recruitment for scam centres and illicit data collection. Penalties include fines of up to US$250,000, confiscation of assets and even life imprisonment.

Prime Minister Hun Manet has warned that Cambodia will not be a safe haven for cybercrime, pledging maximum penalties for offenders. Senior Minister Chhay Sinarith, head of the Commission for Combating Online Scams, urged law enforcement nationwide to adapt to evolving tactics, including AI-assisted fraud and scams via messaging apps.

Officials say the coordinated raids mark a new phase of enforcement, aimed at dismantling networks that damage Cambodia’s reputation and social security. With the Khmer New Year approaching, the government is determined to show it can curb transnational crime — and the discovery of Japanese police uniforms in Phnom Penh highlights the lengths scammers will go to deceive victims abroad.

-2026-04-08