Cambodian authorities detained 20,926 suspects from 38 nationalities and raided 488 suspected online scam locations during the first six months of 2026, as the government intensified its nationwide campaign against cyber fraud and related criminal networks.
The operations, led by the Ministry of Interior with support from the General Commissariat of National Police and municipal and provincial unified command centres, formed part of a broader enforcement campaign targeting online scam operations, undocumented foreigners and locations operating outside Cambodia’s regulatory requirements.
Key Facts
| Indicator | First half of 2026 |
|---|---|
| Online scam locations raided | 488 |
| Suspects detained | 20,926 |
| Nationalities represented among suspects | 38 |
| Suspects referred to court | 2,637 |
| Nationalities represented among those sent to court | 26 |
| Individuals released after written undertaking | 1,666 |
| Nationalities represented among those released | 14 |
| Locations inspected under Sub-Decree 03 | 28,512 |
| People covered by those inspections | 100,000+ |
| Street checks | 21,000+ |
| People involved in street checks | 44,000 |
| Undocumented foreigners discovered | 2,340 |
| Nationalities among undocumented foreigners | 20 |
| Foreign nationals deported during H1 | 46,474 |
| Scam related foreign nationals deported | 16,874 |
| Money laundering investigations opened | 85 |
*Source: Ministry of Interior and Agence Kampuchea Presse. *
More Than 20,000 Suspects Detained
Deputy Spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior Touch Sokhak said authorities detained 20,926 people from 38 nationalities during the first six months of the year after raiding 488 locations suspected of being involved in online scam activities.
The campaign was carried out through coordinated operations involving the Ministry of Interior, the national police and municipal and provincial administrative command structures.
Of those detained, 2,637 suspects from 26 nationalities were referred to court, while 1,666 people from 14 nationalities signed written undertakings not to repeat the offence before being released.
Other cases remained under legal or specialised processing at the time of the report.
The figures illustrate the scale of Cambodia’s enforcement campaign, although the number of people detained should not be interpreted as the number ultimately convicted of crimes. Detention, referral to court and conviction are separate stages of the legal process.
Authorities Expand Inspections Beyond Scam Centres
The crackdown has also involved broader administrative inspections.
During the first half of 2026, authorities inspected 28,512 locations covered by Sub-Decree No. 03, with the inspections involving more than 100,000 people.
Officials also conducted more than 21,000 street checks involving approximately 44,000 people.
These operations resulted in the discovery of evidence and criminal suspects, as well as 2,340 undocumented foreigners representing 20 nationalities. The Ministry of Interior said the individuals identified through these operations were processed according to the applicable procedures.
The Ministry had previously reported that the same 28,512-location inspection programme covered 167,153 people nationwide during the first six months of 2026.
More Than 16,000 Scam Linked Foreign Nationals Deported
Cambodia deported 46,474 foreign nationals during the first half of 2026, representing a wide range of nationalities.
Of that total, 16,874 people from 34 nationalities were identified as being directly connected to cyber-fraud activities, according to the figures reported by authorities.
The deportation figures are part of a broader immigration enforcement campaign against foreigners who are staying or working illegally in Cambodia.
More recent Ministry of Interior data shows that the enforcement campaign continued after June. In the first eight months of 2026, immigration authorities deported 52,224 illegal foreign nationals from 85 nationalities, including 18,393 people from 38 nationalities identified as residing and working illegally in connection with online scams.
Because the August figures cover a longer period than the first-half data, they should not be directly added to the January-June totals.
Authorities Identify Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation Victims
The campaign has also uncovered cases involving potential victims of exploitation.
Specialised units identified 30 victims, including 25 people subjected to sexual exploitation and five identified as victims of human trafficking.
The finding highlights the overlap between online scam operations and broader forms of organised crime and exploitation.
Authorities also detained 18 suspects in connection with related cases and identified another eight people for arrest, according to the reported enforcement figures.
Surveillance and Money Laundering Investigations
Cambodian authorities also expanded their use of surveillance and financial investigations during the crackdown.
Officials inspected and installed 457 surveillance cameras across 201 raid sites, while 521 non-compliant locations were sealed or voluntarily closed under official supervision.
Authorities also opened 85 money laundering investigations.
The financial component is significant because online fraud networks can rely on complex channels for moving and concealing proceeds. Investigating the financial side of scam operations can therefore complement arrests and the dismantling of physical operating locations.
Crackdown Continued Into August
The enforcement campaign continued after the first-half reporting period.
In August 2026, Ministry of Interior authorities raided 85 remaining small-scale online scam locations and detained 1,255 suspects from 13 nationalities.
The suspects included 732 Chinese nationals, 323 Vietnamese, 94 Cambodians, 53 Thais and nationals from several other countries.
During the same month, immigration authorities processed the deportation of 2,005 illegal foreign nationals from 32 nationalities. Among them, 574 people from 11 nationalities were identified as being involved in online scam activities.
The August operations therefore show that enforcement continued after the large-scale first-half campaign.
Cambodia Says Large Scam Compounds Have Been Dismantled
The government's enforcement campaign has also included efforts to dismantle larger scam compounds.
In late August, Senior Minister Chhay Sinarith, who heads the Secretariat of the Ad-Hoc Commission for Combating Online Scams, said authorities had investigated 793 suspected locations from July 2025 to August 20, 2026.
Of those, 624 locations were subject to actual crackdowns, with nearly 30,000 suspects from 39 nationalities detained during the operations.
The broader figures cover a different period from the January-June statistics and therefore should not be treated as an extension of the 488 locations or 20,926 suspects reported for the first half alone.
Cambodia Intensifies International Law Enforcement Cooperation
Cambodia's campaign has also involved cooperation with foreign law enforcement agencies.
The Ministry of Interior has said Cambodia is working with countries both inside and outside the region on preventing, suppressing and investigating online scam activities.
The Ministry has separately reported the deportation of large numbers of foreign nationals involved in online scams, while Cambodian authorities have continued to target both scam operators and people facilitating illegal operations.
This cross-border dimension is important because online scam networks frequently involve multiple jurisdictions, including recruitment, financial transfers, telecommunications and victims located in different countries.
What the Numbers Show?
The first-half figures indicate that Cambodia's campaign has moved beyond isolated raids toward a broader enforcement model involving several layers:
Physical enforcement: Authorities raid and close suspected scam locations.
Immigration enforcement: Foreign nationals staying or working illegally are identified and, where appropriate, processed for deportation.
Criminal justice: Suspects are referred to courts or remain under investigation and specialised legal processing.
Financial investigations: Money laundering cases are opened alongside investigations into scam operations.
Surveillance: Authorities are installing and inspecting security cameras at locations targeted by enforcement operations.
Victim identification: Specialised teams are identifying people who may have been subjected to trafficking or sexual exploitation.
Angkor Times Analysis
The scale of the reported figures shows that Cambodia's anti-scam campaign is no longer limited to individual police raids. It combines criminal investigations, immigration controls, administrative inspections, financial investigations and efforts to identify potential victims.
One important distinction is between suspects detained and people convicted. The reported 20,926 figure represents people detained during operations. Only a portion had been referred to court at the time of the report, while other cases remained under investigation. Therefore, the detention figure should not be presented as the number of confirmed offenders.
The enforcement campaign also appears to have continued after the first-half period. The additional 85 raids and 1,255 detentions recorded in August show that authorities were still pursuing smaller scam locations after the larger operations earlier in the year.
For Cambodia's international reputation, the effectiveness of the campaign will depend not only on the number of raids and arrests but also on whether investigations result in prosecutions, asset tracing, victim protection and sustained dismantling of criminal networks.
The financial investigation component is particularly important. The opening of 85 money laundering investigations suggests authorities are addressing the movement of illicit proceeds in addition to the physical locations where scams are allegedly conducted.
At the same time, the identification of trafficking and sexual exploitation victims demonstrates that the issue extends beyond cybercrime and can involve serious human rights and labour exploitation concerns.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many online scam suspects did Cambodia detain in the first half of 2026?
Cambodian authorities reported detaining 20,926 suspects from 38 nationalities during the first six months of 2026.
How many online scam locations were raided?
Authorities reported raiding 488 online scam locations during the first half of 2026.
How many suspects were sent to court?
A total of 2,637 suspects from 26 nationalities were referred to court during the period covered by the report.
Were all 20,926 detained people convicted?
No. The reported figure refers to people detained as suspects. Some were referred to court, some were released after signing written undertakings, and other cases remained under legal or specialised processing. A detention figure should therefore not be treated as a conviction figure.
How many foreign nationals did Cambodia deport in the first half of 2026?
Authorities reported 46,474 foreign nationals deported during the first six months of 2026, including 16,874 people from 34 nationalities identified as directly connected to cyber-fraud activities.
Did the crackdown continue after June?
Yes. In August, authorities reported raiding another 85 small-scale online scam locations and detaining 1,255 suspects from 13 nationalities.
Were trafficking victims found during the operations?
Yes. Specialised units identified 30 victims, including 25 people subjected to sexual exploitation and five identified as victims of human trafficking.
Sources
- Agence Kampuchea Presse, September 21, 2026, on Cambodia's first-half online scam crackdown.
- Cambodia Ministry of Interior, July 31, 2026, on administrative inspections and online scam enforcement during the first six months.
- Cambodia Ministry of Interior, September 15, 2026, on August online scam operations.
- Cambodia Ministry of Interior, September 17, 2026, on illegal foreign national deportations and scam-related deportations.
- Agence Kampuchea Presse, August 28, 2026, on the dismantling of suspected online scam locations.