More than 1,000 individuals have been arrested in Cambodia during a major crackdown on cyber-scam compounds across at least five provinces, according to authorities.
The arrests took place between Monday and Wednesday (July 16), with Information Minister Neth Pheaktra and police confirming the operations.
As reported by Al Jazeera, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet issued a directive on Tuesday (July 15) urging law enforcement and the military “to prevent and crack down on online scams,” warning that failure to act could result in dismissal.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Cambodia has witnessed a surge in cyber-scam operations, many allegedly controlled by Chinese organised crime groups.
These syndicates operate out of compounds, ranging from small apartments to extensive complexes, where victims are coerced into running online fraud schemes involving romance and business scams that have defrauded people worldwide of billions of dollars.
Many workers are reportedly deceived with promises of legitimate employment, only to be subjected to forced labour, physical abuse, or even death if they attempt to flee.
The United Nations estimates that over 100,000 individuals are enslaved in Cambodia, contributing to a regional scam economy thought to generate around US$40 billion annually.
The recent crackdown saw the arrest of over 200 Vietnamese nationals, 27 Chinese, 75 Taiwanese, and 85 Cambodians in Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville.
Authorities also seized equipment, including computers and hundreds of mobile phones.
In Poipet, a border town with Thailand known for gambling and scam activities, 270 Indonesians, including 45 women, were detained on Wednesday (July 16).
In Kratie province, police arrested 312 people, including citizens of Thailand, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Myanmar, and Vietnam.
An additional 27 individuals from Vietnam, China, and Myanmar were detained in Pursat province.
Despite the high-profile nature of the raids, critics have long accused the Cambodian government of failing to adequately tackle the spread of such operations.
Allegations of corruption and complicity have persisted, with the United States in September imposing sanctions on tycoon Ly Yong Phat, a known associate of Prime Minister Hun Manet, over alleged links to forced labour and cyber-scams.
Amnesty International last month accused the Cambodian government of “deliberately ignoring a litany of human rights abuses including slavery, human trafficking, child labour and torture being carried out by criminal gangs on a vast scale in more than 50 scamming compounds located across the country.”
Cambodian authorities have denied these allegations, stating that they are making serious efforts to address the problem.
The latest crackdown also comes amid escalating tensions with neighbouring Thailand.
A border dispute that began with a brief armed skirmish in May has led to diplomatic friction, including border closures and the suspension of electricity supplies.
Cambodia has characterised Thailand’s moves as retaliatory, tied to its territorial claims, while Thailand maintains the measures were aimed at disrupting longstanding cyber-scam networks operating in towns like Poipet.
Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by rawpixel.com via Freepik
