Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos Courts Tackle Online Scams, Drugs
Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos Courts Tackle Online Scams, Drugs
PHNOM PENH — August 19, 2026: The Supreme Courts of Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos have agreed to strengthen cooperation in handling cross-border criminal cases, particularly those linked to organized and network-based crime, as the three countries seek to improve security and stability along their shared border areas.
The agreement was reached at the 8th Conference of Courts of Border Provinces of Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos, hosted by Cambodia’s Supreme Court in Phnom Penh on August 14.
The three sides highlighted the growing need for closer judicial cooperation in dealing with drug trafficking, online scams, human trafficking and natural-resource crimes, as well as cross-border civil and commercial disputes.
Based on data on cross-border criminal, civil and commercial cases arising in border provinces, the conference stressed the importance of continued cooperation among courts in the three countries to improve the investigation and resolution of cases.
The courts agreed to establish communication and coordination mechanisms among border-province courts to facilitate faster contact and verification of cross-border evidence, in accordance with existing legal procedures.
The mechanism is intended to help ensure that offenders are dealt with transparently and fairly while improving the effectiveness of law enforcement against online scams, drug-related crimes, human trafficking and crimes involving natural resources.
The three sides also agreed to strengthen human-resource capacity in the justice sector, including legal expertise and digital transformation, while improving the handling of cross-border civil and commercial disputes.
The conference said stronger judicial cooperation would contribute to developing border areas into zones of security, stability and development, while promoting public confidence in the justice system and strengthening the rule of law in accordance with the laws of each country.
The meeting marks another effort by Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos to deepen practical cooperation among their border authorities as transnational crime increasingly crosses national boundaries.
