Cambodian authorities have shut down more than 600 premises linked to technology-enabled scams and referred more than 4,100 suspects to court during a year-long nationwide crackdown.
The government has stepped up efforts to dismantle transnational scam networks, with authorities targeting suspected scam centres, casinos and other locations linked to such operations.
Figures released by the Secretariat of the Commission for Combating Technology-enabled Scams showed that authorities investigated and conducted operations at 751 suspected scam locations between July 2025 and July 31, 2026.
Of these, 605 premises were sealed and shut down to prevent further illegal activity.
Casinos also targeted in enforcement drive
Authorities also inspected 195 licensed casinos during the same period, resulting in 20 casino licences being revoked and another 29 suspended over links to scam operations.
A further 23 casino licences expired, with the businesses subsequently ceasing operations.
The Commission for Combating Technology-enabled Scams said the enforcement action involving casinos was significant, as casinos, hotels and other large compounds have repeatedly come under scrutiny in regional efforts to dismantle scam operations involving telecommunications infrastructure, financial networks and large numbers of foreign nationals.
The Cambodian government has adopted a policy of ‘no tolerance, no exception and no retreat’, stressing that it will not allow the country to become a safe haven or operational base for transnational scam networks.
The commission said combating such networks remained an ongoing law enforcement priority involving national security, public order and the protection of Cambodian citizens and foreigners.
More than 21,600 foreigners processed
The nationwide crackdown has also involved thousands of foreign nationals.
From July 2025 to July 2026, Cambodian authorities processed 21,666 foreigners from 38 nationalities for deportation and repatriation.
Chinese, Vietnamese, Pakistani, Indonesian, Bangladeshi and Indian nationals accounted for the largest groups.
Authorities also referred 388 criminal cases involving 4,147 suspects to the courts. The suspects, including alleged ringleaders and their accomplices, represented 27 nationalities, according to the commission.
The government has described technology-enabled scams as both a national security threat and a criminal justice issue. It said efforts to dismantle the networks were also necessary to protect Cambodia’s reputation and restore confidence among investors, tourists, international partners and legitimate businesses.
Phnom Penh to host anti-scam conference
The latest figures were released as Cambodia prepares to host the International Conference on Combating Online Scams 2026 in Phnom Penh on Sept 23 and 24.
The conference, themed ‘Acting Together Towards Breaking the Chain and Eradication of Online Scams’, is expected to bring together governments, international organisations, law enforcement agencies, financial institutions, technology companies, academics and other stakeholders.
Prime Minister Hun Manet is scheduled to preside over the opening.
In a message on the conference website, he described online scams as a ‘complex transnational challenge’ that no single country could tackle alone.
The conference aims to strengthen international cooperation, promote the exchange of experience and best practices, and examine measures to disrupt scam networks through law enforcement, financial controls, technology and international coordination.
The Lancang-Mekong Integrated Law Enforcement and Security Cooperation Center and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime Regional Office for Southeast Asia and the Pacific are listed as co-supporting institutions.
The meeting is expected to include representatives from Cambodia, the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation, Australian Federal Police, ASEAN, International Monetary Fund and INTERPOL, among others.
Cambodian authorities said scam networks operate across borders and rely on international financial, telecommunications and digital systems, making domestic enforcement only one part of the wider regional response.
The September conference is expected to focus on strengthening efforts to break the wider networks supporting online scams, rather than targeting individual compounds or perpetrators in isolation.
