Chaotic Poipet Raid Nets 402 Scam Suspects

Kiripost

A police raid in Poipet spiralled into chaos as hundreds of suspected online scammers clashed with officers during a dramatic operation in Cambodia’s border town.

On 22 April, police stormed three buildings in Banteay Meanchey, prompting panic among occupants. Viral footage showed crowds forcing their way through a hole in a corrugated iron wall while officers fired warning shots into the air. From upper floors, suspects hurled objects as gunfire echoed in the background.

By 25 April, the General Commissariat of National Police confirmed 402 arrests, including 36 women. The detainees came from across Asia and beyond, with nationals from China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Indonesia, Myanmar, Kyrgyzstan, India, Nepal and Georgia among those held.

Investigators seized a vast haul: 622 computers, more than 2,400 mobile phones, seven cars, and a CZ 75 pistol with ammunition. Six safes containing cash in dollars, baht and riel were also recovered, alongside documents believed to detail the fraud operations.

Authorities said the network specialised in online scams, from romance frauds to fake cryptocurrency and investment schemes, targeting victims in Europe and the United States. Social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram were central to their tactics, with suspects using TextNow accounts to communicate.

Among those detained were 17 managers and translators, as well as 14 Chinese men identified as senior figures. Police also arrested a Cambodian woman described as the building’s owner, along with two other Cambodian nationals. A Chinese suspect linked to a black GAC vehicle was singled out as a top-level organiser.

All suspects have been transferred to the Department of Anti-Gambling Crimes for further investigation. The scale of the arrests and the chaotic scenes underline both the reach of transnational fraud networks and Cambodia’s determination to dismantle them.

-2026-04-26