October 7, Phnom Penh (RAS/AFP) – Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet on Wednesday asserted that his country will never become a “safe haven” for cybercrime. He claimed that the government has accelerated efforts to combat online fraud. However, international partners have welcomed the progress in law enforcement while noting that much work remains. In Southeast Asia, particularly Cambodia and conflict-affected Myanmar, criminal networks operating online scams have established major hubs. Some of these scammers arrive voluntarily, while others are trafficked into these centers. They deceive internet users through fake romantic relationships and cryptocurrency investment schemes.
Speaking at an anti-online fraud conference held in the capital Phnom Penh, Hun Manet stated, “Cambodia will never be a safe refuge for online scams.” He asserted that since last year, through high-level crackdowns, Cambodian authorities have “completely dismantled all small-scale scam centers.” He emphasized that this campaign aims not only to raise public awareness but also to permanently eliminate criminal networks and prevent their re-emergence. Cambodia has long faced accusations of allowing scam centers to flourish, enabling illegal profits amounting to billions of dollars annually.
Prompted by increasing pressure from China and the United States, the government has stepped up enforcement actions. Investigators report that scam groups have spread into smaller, less conspicuous locations, noting that in some cases, scam operators are tipped off before security raids occur. Dolphins Shantz, Regional Representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), praised Cambodia’s efforts but stated that “more work can and should be done” at national, regional, and international levels regarding the billion-dollar illicit trade.
Yang Weilin, China’s Vice Minister of Public Security, also commended cooperation with Cambodia and stated that no country can confront this problem alone. He warned that an enabling environment for telecom-related scams has yet to be fully eliminated. Stephen Flores, a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) official, emphasized that partnerships in law enforcement must be based on mutual trust and shared commitment. The United States estimates that by 2025, transnational criminal organizations in Southeast Asia will have scammed American citizens out of at least $1.82 billion through cyber fraud schemes. During a visit to Phnom Penh in July, FBI Director Kash Patel highlighted the high priority given to online scams and urged accountability for high-level fraud operators and increased information sharing concerning implicated officials. Analysts caution that the protection, along with critical financial and physical infrastructure, still afforded to these scam groups poses ongoing risks of their reorganization.
