Cambodia vows to stamp out online scam networks

PHNOM PENH, Feb 19, 2026 (KPT) – Cambodia has pledged to eradicate technology-based scams, outlining the results of a nationwide crackdown to foreign diplomats and the European Union delegation in Phnom Penh.

Senior Minister Chhay Sinarith told envoys at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that authorities had intensified efforts to dismantle online scam operations, under a campaign led by the newly established National Committee for Countering Technology-Based Scams (CCTS).

Between June 2025 and early 2026, police launched operations in 200 cases linked to online scams, targeting some 2,500 sites. More than 10,000 computers and 36,000 smartphones were seized, while over 8,000 foreign nationals were deported.

Officials said more than 200 sites, including casinos, were permanently closed.
The crackdown prompted suspected ringleaders to flee the country, with 210,000 foreign nationals reported to have left voluntarily during the same period.

Authorities said they had also worked with international partners to rescue victims trafficked or coerced into scam operations.

The Ministry of Justice reported more than 500 prosecutions in the past eight months, including cases tied to alleged foreign masterminds.

Sinarith thanked partners including the United States, China, South Korea, the Philippines, Interpol, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime and the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation framework, urging continued technical assistance and capacity-building.

Officials said a draft law to strengthen penalties and preventive measures against technology-based crimes is under review.

Prime Minister Hun Manet has vowed Cambodia will not become a base for transnational scam networks, warning offenders will face the full force of the law.