Cambodia Crackdown on Scam Centres: 1,100 Indonesians Detained by Immigration

Cambodian authorities have detained approximately 1,100 Indonesian citizens during a large-scale crackdown on online scam operations over the past month. The Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh is providing consular assistance to those held at a government detention facility in Pochentong.

In response, the embassy team, together with the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Directorate of Citizen Protection, is swiftly processing data and issuing Emergency Travel Certificates (SPLP) for nationals who have lost their travel documents. The embassy has urged those who now possess valid documents to purchase tickets home without delay, noting that many others with SPLPs and approved overstay fine waivers remain in Cambodia.

Cambodian authorities continue to intensify operations against online scam centres, leading to a sustained influx of Indonesian nationals seeking embassy assistance. Official data shows a sharp rise in evacuation requests, with 12,207 Indonesians reporting and requesting repatriation between 1 January and 9 July, of whom 5,966 have been successfully returned.

Beyond the Pochentong facility, over 600 additional Indonesians have been secured from various hidden locations suspected of being scam hubs and are now held across detention centres in Bati, Siem Reap, Phnom Penh, and Sihanoukville. Ad Interim Chargé d’Affaires Krishnajie issued a stern warning for citizens not to be lured by illegal job offers in Cambodia that lead to criminal networks, urging those who have returned home not to go back and re-engage in online fraud.