Cambodia Police Deports 164 Chinese Nationals in Online Scam Crackdown

PHNOM PENH, June 22, 2026 (KPT) – Cambodian authorities have deported 164 Chinese nationals, including 10 women, in connection with online scam operations and immigration offences, officials said Monday.

The group was expelled on June 18 aboard a special flight from Techo International Airport, according to the Department of Investigation and Enforcement Procedures, which coordinated the operation with the Chinese Embassy in Phnom Penh.

Authorities said those deported were involved in online fraud activities as well as violations of residency and employment laws.

The crackdown was carried out under measures ordered by Prime Minister Hun Manet and directed by Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sar Sokha.

Officials said the move is part of a nationwide campaign against cybercrime, aimed at dismantling scam networks, protecting Cambodian citizens and foreign nationals, and assisting victims allegedly trafficked or deceived into participating in such schemes.

“The operations will continue with no exceptions,” authorities said, stressing that law enforcement efforts target transnational fraud networks.

Hun Manet chairs the National Committee to Combat Technology-Enabled Scams and has ordered the campaign to proceed without pause, including during holidays, until Cambodia is “completely free of scam syndicates.”

Under his directive, authorities enacted stronger legal frameworks, including the Law on Combating Technology-Enabled Scams, which has led to the voluntary departure of thousands of people and the deportation of tens of thousands more.