Cambodia is intensifying its nationwide campaign against telecom and online fraud, aiming to eliminate such criminal activities by the end of April, according to senior law enforcement officials.
According to official data cited by local Chinese-language outlet Cambodia China Times, authorities have investigated 190 suspected fraud-related locations and arrested 2,508 individuals linked to telecom scam operations since the beginning of 2026. During the sustained crackdown, multiple fraud centers reportedly disbanded on their own, while a total of 110,095 foreign nationals left the country.
The latest figures reflect the government’s “high-pressure” enforcement strategy, which officials say is designed to dismantle organized scam networks and prevent Cambodia from being used as a base for cross-border criminal activity. Law enforcement agencies have been instructed to maintain strict oversight and continue large-scale inspections nationwide as the April deadline approaches.
Officials said the intensified campaign has already disrupted major telecom fraud operations and reduced their capacity to operate. Authorities attributed the surge in departures of foreign nationals partly to the closure of suspected scam compounds and tighter immigration controls introduced alongside the enforcement measures.
National Police Commissioner Sar Thet said the police force remains committed to carrying out Prime Minister Hun Manet’s directive to eradicate telecom fraud. Speaking at a review meeting at the Ministry of Interior, he said law enforcement agencies would maintain strong momentum and ensure that criminal groups are removed from the country in accordance with the law.
Hun Manet recently reiterated that authorities must adopt a “zero-tolerance” approach toward telecom fraud and related crimes. He warned that any officials found to be complicit would face strict legal consequences, emphasizing that the campaign is essential to safeguarding national security and social stability.
Separately, Ministry of Interior spokesperson Sok Touch confirmed that a nationwide “large-scale cleanup operation” is underway, with the objective of completing the crackdown by the end of April.
The campaign has also received international support. On February 7th, Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wenbin met with Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sar Sokha and praised Cambodia’s firm enforcement efforts. Wang said China strongly supports Cambodia’s determination to eliminate telecom fraud and strengthen cooperation against cross-border crime.
It is also worth noting that cooperation between China and Cambodia in cracking down on scams reached a key turning point in early January, when Cambodian authorities arrested scam kingpin Chen Zhi and repatriated him to China. Following this case, Cambodia launched a high-profile nationwide crackdown on the online scam industry.
