Cambodian Authorities Arrest 81 Scammers; 220,000 Foreign Nationals Flee as Indonesian Citizens Affected
Cambodian police have launched a large-scale crackdown against technology-based fraud networks operating in the capital, Phnom Penh. The Secretariat of the Commission for Combating Cybercrime (CCTC) reported that of the 81 arrested individuals, 72 are Chinese nationals and 9 are from Myanmar.
According to CCTC records, the operations have had significant consequences. Approximately 223,610 foreign nationals—including citizens from China, Vietnam, Indonesia, India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan—voluntarily left Cambodia between 13 January and 26 February 2026 to evade authorities.
“Several operational leaders have fled abroad, whilst others are hiding domestically by changing their operational methods into small groups operating from rental homes or moving frequently,” the CCTC’s official report stated.
Over the past eight months, Cambodian authorities have dismantled more than 200 online fraud networks, including those operating within casinos. The Cambodian government has reaffirmed its commitment to intensifying enforcement efforts across all 24 provinces and has vowed not to tolerate criminal networks, whether small-scale or large-scale operations.
The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in cooperation with the Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh, is facilitating the return of Indonesian workers and migrants caught in the online scam sector. Within the next two weeks, 257 Indonesian citizens have already purchased return flight tickets. Indonesian nationals requiring temporary travel documents and those who have received assistance with immigration penalty waivers are also independently arranging their return flights home.
The Cambodian scam networks represent more than cross-border criminal activity or tragic stories of citizens ensnared in fraudulent employment schemes abroad. These operations underscore broader challenges facing the region as digitalisation continues to drive economic activity whilst simultaneously creating new security threats and vulnerabilities.