Cambodian authorities have shut down 86 large-scale online scam compounds nationwide and placed them under government control, while 5,778 suspects are currently being held in prisons as part of the country's ongoing crackdown on cybercrime, according to Senior Minister in Charge of Special Missions Chhay Sinarith. The government has also filed 529 cases with the courts, with investigations targeting organised criminal networks, alleged human trafficking, unlawful confinement, torture and money laundering linked to scam operations.
Key Facts
86 major scam compounds: Shut down and placed under government control, according to the senior minister.
5,778 suspects: Currently detained in prisons.
529 cases: Filed with the courts.
97 criminal networks: Identified as operating in Cambodia.
Around 100 additional networks: Identified overseas.
Nearly 40 nationalities: Foreign nationals reportedly involved in the networks.
Key locations where smaller operations remain: Preah Sihanouk, Banteay Meanchey, Poipet and Phnom Penh.
Government agency: Commission for Combating Online Scams (CCOS).
Cambodia Shuts Down 86 Major Online Scam Compounds
Chhay Sinarith, Senior Minister in Charge of Special Missions and head of the Secretariat of the Commission for Combating Online Scams (CCOS), disclosed the figures in an interview with RFI Khmer on Friday.
He said investigations and on-site inspections had resulted in the closure of 86 major scam compounds, which had subsequently been placed under government control.
Authorities are continuing legal proceedings against individuals and networks allegedly involved in the operations.
According to Chhay Sinarith, investigations are not limited to the buildings used by scam groups. They also examine the wider criminal activities and networks connected to each operation.
These investigations cover:
Organised criminal networks and online scam activities.
Alleged torture and unlawful confinement.
Recruitment and trafficking of people into scam compounds.
Money laundering and financial activities linked to criminal groups.
The involvement of property owners and businesses in facilitating operations.
The senior minister said each case must be investigated comprehensively to identify the people responsible and establish sufficient evidence for prosecution.
5,778 Suspects Detained as 529 Cases Reach the Courts
Chhay Sinarith said 5,778 people were currently being held in prisons in connection with the crackdown, while 529 cases had been filed with the courts.
Those detained include foreign nationals from countries such as China, Japan, India and Vietnam, among others.
The figures reflect the scale of enforcement activity reported by the government. However, detention and the filing of cases do not establish that every suspect has been convicted. Individual legal outcomes will depend on investigations and court proceedings.
The senior minister stressed that authorities must identify the actual perpetrators and gather sufficient evidence before charges are brought before the courts.
Authorities Identify 97 Criminal Networks in Cambodia
Beyond the physical compounds, authorities have identified approximately 97 organised criminal networks operating in Cambodia, according to Chhay Sinarith.
These networks are reportedly involved in online scams and money laundering through legitimate businesses.
Authorities have also identified around 100 additional networks operating overseas.
The senior minister said the criminal networks involved foreign nationals from nearly 40 countries, including:
China
Indonesia
Vietnam
India
Thailand
He added that the major masterminds were predominantly Chinese nationals, while Cambodian nationals could also have been recruited or lured into criminal activities.
These findings point to the transnational nature of online scam operations, which can involve recruitment, financial transactions and criminal coordination across multiple jurisdictions.
Smaller Scam Operations Still Emerging in Several Provinces
Despite the closure of major compounds, Chhay Sinarith acknowledged that smaller-scale scam operations continued to emerge in different locations.
Authorities were reportedly discovering such activities almost daily, particularly in:
Preah Sihanouk Province
Banteay Meanchey Province
Poipet
Phnom Penh
He stressed that the government would not tolerate online scam activities regardless of their size or location.
The continued discovery of smaller operations highlights the challenge of dismantling criminal networks that may relocate, change premises or operate through less visible arrangements after major enforcement actions.
Property Owners Face Legal Consequences for Facilitating Scam Operations
The senior minister warned that Cambodia's anti-scam law would be strictly enforced, particularly against property owners who provide premises for criminal groups to operate.
He said property owners could face legal consequences if they knowingly allow their buildings or other properties to be used for online scam activities.
Authorities may also pursue confiscation of properties connected to criminal operations.
Chhay Sinarith explained that decisions concerning the future of the 86 closed compounds would depend on individual court cases and rulings on asset confiscation.
Confiscation could extend beyond buildings directly used for scam activities to other assets allegedly used by criminal groups for money laundering.
This approach places greater responsibility on property owners and businesses to understand how their premises are being used and to avoid facilitating criminal activities.
Government Says Evidence-Based Investigations Remain Essential
Chhay Sinarith acknowledged that combating online scams remained challenging but said political commitment and coordinated law enforcement were preventing criminal groups from establishing safe havens in urban centres or remote rural areas.
He also defended the investigation process, emphasising that authorities must collect sufficient evidence to identify the actual perpetrators and support legal charges.
This distinction is important in large-scale investigations involving multiple suspects, companies, properties and financial transactions. Establishing individual responsibility requires evidence that can withstand judicial examination.
The government intensified its nationwide crackdown in 2025, pledging to eliminate online scam activities and dismantle the criminal networks behind them.
Angkor Times Analysis: Enforcement Must Extend Beyond Compound Closures
The reported closure of 86 major scam compounds and detention of 5,778 suspects illustrate the scale of Cambodia's ongoing enforcement campaign. However, the figures also highlight the complexity of addressing a criminal industry that operates through interconnected networks, recruitment channels, financial transactions and commercial properties.
The identification of approximately 97 networks inside Cambodia and around 100 overseas networks suggests that enforcement cannot rely exclusively on shutting down physical locations.
Three areas will be particularly important as the campaign continues.
First, financial investigations and asset recovery. Online scam operations can use legitimate businesses and multiple financial channels to conceal proceeds. Tracing financial flows, identifying beneficial ownership and pursuing legally supported asset confiscation will be essential to disrupting the economic foundations of these networks.
Second, victim identification and protection. Investigations involving alleged forced recruitment, torture and unlawful confinement require authorities to distinguish criminal organisers from people who may themselves have been trafficked or coerced into scam operations. Effective victim identification and protection are important components of a comprehensive response.
Third, accountability across the property and business sector. The government's warning to property owners signals that enforcement may extend beyond direct operators to those who knowingly facilitate criminal activities. Transparent investigations and evidence-based court proceedings will be necessary to establish responsibility in individual cases.
The continued discovery of smaller operations in several provinces also demonstrates that compound closures alone cannot establish that the wider problem has been eliminated.
For Cambodia, the longer-term test will be whether enforcement can consistently dismantle criminal networks, disrupt their financial infrastructure, protect victims and prevent operations from re-emerging elsewhere.
The figures reported by Chhay Sinarith provide an account of the government's enforcement activities. The number of convictions, the value of assets ultimately confiscated and the extent to which criminal networks have been permanently dismantled remain separate measures that will require further reporting.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How many major online scam compounds has Cambodia shut down?
Senior Minister Chhay Sinarith said authorities had shut down 86 major scam compounds nationwide and placed them under government control.
2. How many suspects are currently detained?
According to Chhay Sinarith, 5,778 suspects are currently being held in prisons in connection with the crackdown.
3. How many cases have been filed with the courts?
The senior minister reported that 529 cases had reached the courts.
4. How many criminal networks have authorities identified?
Authorities have identified approximately 97 organised criminal networks operating in Cambodia and around 100 additional networks overseas.
5. Which nationalities are reportedly involved?
The networks reportedly involve foreign nationals from nearly 40 countries, including China, Indonesia, Vietnam, India and Thailand. The senior minister said major masterminds were predominantly Chinese nationals.
6. Where are smaller scam operations still being discovered?
The reported locations include Preah Sihanouk Province, Banteay Meanchey Province, Poipet and Phnom Penh.
7. Can property owners lose buildings linked to scam operations?
Chhay Sinarith warned that property owners who knowingly allow criminal groups to use their premises could face legal consequences and property confiscation, subject to the relevant legal proceedings and court decisions.
8. Have all 86 closed compounds been permanently confiscated?
No such conclusion was provided in the report. The senior minister said decisions about the compounds would depend on individual cases and court rulings on asset confiscation.
9. Does detention mean a suspect has been convicted?
No. Detention and the filing of a court case do not establish guilt. Conviction depends on the evidence and the outcome of judicial proceedings.