(Phnom Penh): On 21 January 2026, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet chaired a meeting of the Commission for Combating Online Scams (CCOS) to review progress in ongoing operations and set further directions for the continued eradication of online scam crimes.
Earlier, on January 13, Samdech Thipadei reiterated that security, public order, and crime prevention are among the top priorities of the Royal Government of Cambodia to ensure peaceful living conditions for the people. Within this framework, combating online scams has become a critical focus alongside other national priority efforts.
He noted that online scams pose serious threats to society and represent a complex form of transnational crime involving interconnected networks operating across multiple countries. In response, the Royal Government, from the Sixth Legislature of the National Assembly through the early phase of the Seventh Legislature, has implemented a wide range of measures, producing tangible and positive results.
The decision of the Royal Government under the Seventh Legislature to designate crime prevention and suppression as a political priority is not incidental. The firm and decisive measures taken continuously against online scams in recent times demonstrate the government’s strong political commitment to combating this form of cross-border crime, which is a shared concern of Cambodia, the region, and the world.
Prime Minister Hun Manet also called for broad participation, commitment, and national sacrifice from all relevant stakeholders. He urged Cambodian citizens across all social groups and political orientations, as well as civil servants, local authorities, and competent forces, to unite in a spirit of national solidarity to eliminate online scam-related crimes and strengthen Cambodia’s international reputation.
According to a report by the National Committee for Combating Online Scams, between June 27 and December 18, 2025, the Committee’s Secretariat carried out inspections and crackdowns at 118 locations across 18 capital cities and provinces nationwide.
During these operations, authorities arrested 4,983 suspects, including 979 women, representing 23 nationalities. Those arrested included Chinese (including Taiwanese), Vietnamese, Indonesian, Indian, Bangladeshi, Thai, South Korean, Pakistani, Nepali, Malaysian, Japanese, Myanmar, Filipino, Lao, Cameroonian, Nigerian, Ugandan, Sierra Leonean, Mongolian, Russian, Sri Lankan, Algerian, and Singaporean nationals.
The report further stated that in the final nearly six months of 2025, authorities referred 35 major cases to the courts, involving 168 suspects identified as ringleaders and accomplices. These cases included Chinese (including Taiwanese), Vietnamese, Japanese, South Korean, Indonesian, Myanmar, Malaysian, and Cambodian nationals.
In addition, 4,039 foreign nationals, including 605 women, were deported from Cambodia. Law enforcement agencies also rescued victims of human trafficking and dismantled scam syndicates and trafficking networks as part of the nationwide operations.
=FRESH NEWS
