Cambodian police chiefs face cyber fraud probe

Two senior Cambodian officials have been hauled before court as part of a sweeping crackdown on online scam networks, underscoring the government’s pledge to root out corruption at the highest levels.

Deputy Director‑General of Immigration Ouk Heisela and Phnom Penh’s Deputy Police Commissioner Sar Samnang were arrested on 19 April after a 20‑day investigation by the Anti‑Corruption Unit (ACU. They were brought to Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Tuesday afternoon to face allegations of bribery and money laundering linked to cyber fraud operations.

The ACU confirmed the arrests but declined to provide further details. Local media reported that Samnang’s wife and another suspect, Yat Kosal, are also implicated.

The case is the latest in a string of high‑profile arrests targeting officials accused of colluding with scam operators. Just days earlier, a brigadier general in Kandal province was charged with extorting more than $30,000 from a Chinese national. In March, a customs deputy chief in Koh Kong was detained over $1 million in corrupt payments.

Cambodia has faced mounting international pressure to dismantle sprawling online fraud networks, many of which prey on foreign workers. Between 3 and 20 April alone, authorities raided 23 sites nationwide, detaining nearly 2,000 foreigners from 18 countries. More than 800 are now awaiting deportation.

Interior Minister Sar Sokha said earlier this year that over 48,000 foreign nationals linked to scam operations have been deported since late 2025. The government claims to have shut down more than 200 sites and arrested hundreds of alleged ringleaders.

Rights group LICADHO welcomed the arrests but warned that bribery involving high‑ranking figures remains a major obstacle to effective enforcement. Cambodia continues to rank near the bottom of Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index, scoring just 20 out of 100 in 2025.

Prime Minister Hun Manet has vowed to press ahead with the “XXL” campaign against online scams, insisting that enforcement will remain strict and uninterrupted, even during national holidays. Since July 2025, authorities have pursued more than 250 cases, closed 91 casinos and deported over 13,000 foreign nationals.

The latest arrests highlight the scale of the challenge: dismantling not only the scam networks themselves but also the protection they appear to enjoy from within Cambodia’s own institutions.

-2026-04-24