Cambodia is showcasing its efforts to dismantle online scam networks and strengthen cybercrime enforcement ahead of an international conference on combating online scams that will bring officials from more than 20 countries to Phnom Penh.
As part of the preparations, 78 journalists from 39 media organisations visited a former suspected online scam compound in Prey Veng province, where Cambodian authorities outlined the challenges of investigating technology-facilitated crime and described recent changes to the country's legal and enforcement framework.
The visit was organised by the Secretariat of the ad hoc Commission for Combating Online Scams (CCOS) and coordinated by the Ministry of Information.
Key Facts
| Indicator | Reported figure |
|---|---|
| Journalists visiting the former compound | 78 |
| Media organisations represented | 39 |
| Location visited | Meun Chey Commercial Centre, also known as 8 Park |
| Province | Prey Veng |
| Scam locations raided, May-August | 374 |
| Capital and provinces involved | 17 |
| People detained, May-August | 9,712 |
| Nationalities represented among detainees | 30 |
| Sent to immigration for deportation | 2,074 |
| Nationalities represented | 19 |
| Sent to court | 924 |
| Nationalities represented | 11 |
| Educated and released | 664 |
| Requested repatriation | 127 |
| Detainees undergoing identification | 5,921 |
| International conference | September 23-24, 2026 |
| Expected participating countries | More than 20 |
| International organisations expected | 3 |
Journalists Visit Former Scam Compound in Prey Veng
The media delegation visited the Meun Chey Commercial Centre, also known as 8 Park, in Kamchay Mear district near the Meun Chey International Border Checkpoint.
The site, which was originally developed as a commercial project, later became associated with suspected online scam activities.
Journalists were shown office areas containing computers reportedly used to communicate with targets, as well as sleeping quarters inside the former compound.
Prey Veng Governor Sourn Somalin said the commercial project had failed to deliver its original promise and had instead become associated with online scams and other criminal activities.
According to the report, construction began in 2023. Foreign workers arrived in 2024, eventually reaching about 7,000 people, before the population reportedly expanded to nearly 20,000 in 2025.
Chinese, Pakistani, Indian and Nepali nationals were among the largest groups reported at the site.
Authorities Explain Why the Site Was Not Investigated Earlier
One of the questions raised during the media visit concerned why authorities had not acted against the compound earlier.
Governor Sourn Somalin said authorities previously required a complaint or report from a victim before conducting a search or inspection at a location.
He said no such reports had been received at the time.
The situation changed after the government directed authorities nationwide to inspect collective living areas, according to Somalin. Those inspections subsequently uncovered irregularities at the location.
The explanation highlights one of the legal and investigative challenges Cambodian authorities say they faced when dealing with technology-facilitated scams.
Authorities Cite Changes to Scam Laws
Hay Makara, a member of the Secretariat of the ad hoc Commission for Combating Online Scams, said law enforcement agencies faced difficulties because criminal groups were advancing rapidly in their use of technology.
He said authorities were often forced to respond after criminal networks had already developed new techniques.
Makara also pointed to limitations in financial transparency as another challenge, saying investigators could have difficulty tracing cases back to their underlying financial networks.
According to Makara, earlier legal frameworks required a formal victim complaint before authorities could begin an investigation.
He said this created a particular problem with scam cases because authorities could not always identify a victim or receive a complaint at the initial stage.
The government subsequently made technology-facilitated scams a priority through legislation introduced in April 2021, according to the official explanation provided during the media visit.
The newer legal framework gives competent authorities the ability to act in such cases without requiring a formal complaint or an already identified victim.
374 Scam Locations Raided Between May and August
The Ministry of Interior reported a significant expansion of enforcement operations between May and August 2026.
According to ministry spokesman Touch Sokhak, authorities raided 374 locations linked to scamming across 17 capital and provincial jurisdictions during the four-month period.
Police detained 9,712 people representing 30 nationalities.
The subsequent processing of those detainees included several different pathways.
Detainee Processing
| Action | Number |
|---|---|
| Referred to General Department of Immigration for deportation | 2,074 |
| Sent to court | 924 |
| Educated and released | 664 |
| Requested repatriation | 127 |
| Identification procedures ongoing | 5,921 |
| Total | 9,712 |
The figures show that not all detainees were handled through the same legal or administrative process. Some were transferred for immigration procedures, others were sent to court, while identification or other processing remained ongoing for thousands of people.
Cambodia-China Cooperation Leads to 11 Detentions
Touch Sokhak said Cambodian authorities also conducted 11 operations at the request of the Chinese Embassy in Cambodia as part of Cambodia-China law-enforcement cooperation.
Those operations resulted in the detention of 11 Chinese nationals allegedly connected to several types of offences.
The alleged offences included technology-facilitated scams, concealment of criminal proceeds, document forgery, tax-related fraud, credit-card fraud and loan scams.
The 11 detainees were transferred to the General Department of Immigration for procedures related to their deportation from Cambodia.
Sokhak said people involved in the offences, including Cambodian nationals, would face prosecution.
He also said officials who facilitate or participate in such offences could have their positions and functions terminated, regardless of their rank.
Authorities Target Two Types of Scam Activity
The Ministry of Interior said its enforcement strategy is focused on two main areas.
The first is targeting foreign nationals operating scam activities from Cambodia against victims in other countries.
The second is preventing technology-facilitated scams that target Cambodian citizens.
This distinction reflects the international and domestic dimensions of the problem.
Some scam operations based in Cambodia allegedly target victims overseas, while Cambodian residents can also be targeted through investment fraud, loan scams, romance scams, financial theft and other schemes.
Police Provide Guidance in 2,665 Cases
The National Police has also expanded public assistance and prevention efforts.
According to the Ministry of Interior, police provided guidance in 2,665 cases through hotlines and social media.
The cases included reports involving:
- Investment schemes
- Loan fraud
- Romance scams
- Compromised media threats
- Financial theft
Touch Sokhak said authorities would continue strengthening public education, prevention and enforcement while improving mechanisms for receiving information and complaints and responding in a timely manner.
He also urged citizens to remain vigilant and report information as quickly as possible.
Authorities Warn Officials Over Failure to Act
The Ministry of Interior has also placed responsibility on officials handling scam-related complaints.
Citizens can report officials to higher authorities if they believe complaints have not been properly processed.
Sokhak said disciplinary and legal action could be taken against officials who fail to perform their duties, ignore legitimate complaints or remain indifferent to cases falling within their responsibilities.
The measure is intended to reinforce accountability within the enforcement system.
International Conference Set for September 23-24
The media visit comes just ahead of the International Conference on Combating Online Scams (ICCOS-2026), scheduled to take place in Phnom Penh on September 23-24.
The conference will be held under the theme:
“Acting Together towards Breaking the Chain and Eradicating Online Scams”
Representatives from more than 20 countries and three international organisations are expected to participate.
The conference is intended to strengthen international cooperation against online scams, reflecting the cross-border nature of the criminal networks involved.
Cambodian organisers say hosting the event demonstrates the country's commitment to international cooperation in combating cybercrime.
Why International Cooperation Matters?
Online scam networks often operate across multiple jurisdictions.
A network may recruit people in one country, operate a compound in another, target victims elsewhere and move proceeds through financial systems involving several additional jurisdictions.
This makes purely domestic enforcement difficult.
Information sharing, extradition and deportation procedures, financial investigations, digital evidence cooperation and coordinated law enforcement can all play roles in disrupting such networks.
The upcoming conference therefore gives Cambodia an opportunity to discuss enforcement challenges with other countries while also presenting its own recent measures.
The 8 Park Case Illustrates the Enforcement Challenge
The former Meun Chey Commercial Centre provides a concrete example of the difficulties authorities face.
The site was initially presented as a commercial development and later hosted thousands of foreign workers. Authorities eventually identified suspected scam-related activities and conducted enforcement operations.
The case also illustrates why authorities are placing greater emphasis on inspecting collective living and working areas rather than relying solely on individual victim complaints.
At the same time, the case shows the importance of distinguishing between the existence of a former compound and the legal status of every individual who may have been present there.
The reported arrests, investigations and prosecutions concern specific allegations and cases rather than automatically establishing criminal responsibility for everyone associated with the site.
Cambodia Expands From Raids to Financial Investigations
The government's recent enforcement approach has increasingly involved more than simply closing suspected scam compounds.
The authorities are also focusing on:
Financial flows: tracing and investigating proceeds connected to criminal activity.
Immigration: identifying and processing foreign nationals who are allegedly involved in illegal activities.
Digital evidence: examining computers and communications used in suspected scam operations.
Victim protection: identifying people who may have been trafficked or otherwise exploited.
Public prevention: educating citizens about common fraud techniques.
Official accountability: investigating claims that officials failed to properly respond to complaints.
This broader approach reflects the increasingly complex nature of technology-facilitated crime.
Angkor Times Analysis
The latest enforcement figures show that Cambodia's anti-scam campaign is operating on several fronts at the same time.
The 374 raids and 9,712 detainees between May and August demonstrate the scale of physical enforcement, while the 2,665 cases handled through police hotlines and social media indicate a parallel emphasis on prevention and public reporting.
However, the numbers should be interpreted carefully.
A person detained during an enforcement operation is not necessarily a person convicted of a crime. The ministry's own figures show multiple processing outcomes, including deportation procedures, court referrals, education and release, repatriation requests and ongoing identification.
The 8 Park case also highlights the importance of investigative capacity. Authorities themselves acknowledge that technology-facilitated criminals can move faster than traditional enforcement systems, while financial opacity can make it difficult to identify the networks behind individual scam operations.
The legal change described by officials is therefore significant because it allows authorities to investigate suspected technology-facilitated scams without waiting for an identified victim to submit a complaint.
The upcoming ICCOS-2026 conference will put these domestic efforts into an international context. Because scam networks frequently cross borders, effective enforcement can require cooperation on intelligence, financial investigations, digital evidence and the movement of suspects.
For Cambodia, the longer-term test will be whether raids and arrests translate into sustained disruption of criminal networks, prosecution of those responsible, recovery or tracing of illicit proceeds, protection of victims and stronger prevention mechanisms.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is ICCOS-2026?
ICCOS-2026 is the International Conference on Combating Online Scams, scheduled for September 23-24, 2026, in Phnom Penh.
How many countries are expected at the conference?
Representatives from more than 20 countries and three international organisations are expected to attend.
How many scam locations did Cambodia raid from May to August?
Authorities reported raiding 374 locations linked to scamming across 17 capital and provincial jurisdictions.
How many people were detained?
Police detained 9,712 people from 30 nationalities during the four-month period.
How many detainees were sent to court?
The Ministry of Interior reported that 924 people from 11 nationalities were sent to court.
What happened to the other detainees?
The ministry reported that 2,074 were transferred to immigration authorities for deportation, 664 were educated and released, 127 requested repatriation, and identification procedures remained ongoing for 5,921 people.
What happened at the 8 Park compound?
Authorities investigated the Meun Chey Commercial Centre in Prey Veng after discovering suspected irregularities associated with online scam activities. Journalists visiting the former compound observed offices with computers and sleeping areas.
Why is the case significant?
The case illustrates some of the investigative challenges authorities say they face when scam operations operate inside large commercial or residential compounds and involve foreign workers and cross-border criminal networks.
Can Cambodian citizens report scam-related complaints?
Yes. Authorities have encouraged citizens to provide information through official hotlines and social media channels and have said citizens can report officials who fail to process legitimate complaints to higher authorities.
Sources
- Khmer Times, September 2026, report on Cambodia's cyber fraud crackdown and the media visit to the former Meun Chey Commercial Centre.
- Cambodia Ministry of Interior, statements and enforcement updates on technology-facilitated scams and related immigration operations.
- Secretariat of the ad hoc Commission for Combating Online Scams (CCOS), information on Cambodia's anti-scam enforcement campaign.
- Ministry of Information, coordination of the media visit ahead of ICCOS-2026.