Cambodia Expels Hundreds Linked to Scam Networks in Intensified Cybercrime Crackdown

Cambodia Expels Hundreds Linked to Scam Networks in Intensified Cybercrime Crackdown

PHNOM PENH, Jan 23, 2026 — Cambodian authorities on Thursday deported more than 200 foreign nationals linked to online scam operations, underscoring Phnom Penh’s intensified campaign against transnational cybercrime, officials said.

The Royal Government of Cambodia expelled 209 foreigners, including 73 South Koreans and 136 Myanmar nationals, to allow their home governments to pursue further legal proceedings, according to the General Department of Immigration under the Ministry of Interior.

Authorities said the group included both suspected perpetrators and victims rescued during recent enforcement operations targeting technology-enabled fraud networks. Cambodia has repeatedly repatriated foreign nationals implicated in scam activities, including 244 South Koreans in 2025, as part of sustained law enforcement cooperation with regional and international partners.

Officials said the deportations reflect Cambodia’s firm application of the law to dismantle cybercrime networks, protect public safety and ensure accountability for ringleaders, while assisting victims coerced into scam operations to safely return home.

Since Jan. 1, 2026, Cambodia has deported 1,620 foreign nationals of 21 nationalities, including citizens of Vietnam, Thailand, China, Pakistan, Indonesia, South Korea and Myanmar. Over the past seven months, Cambodian authorities have detained 5,106 suspects from 23 countries, deported 4,534 individuals, and prosecuted 37 major cases, resulting in convictions of 172 ringleaders and accomplices, officials said.

The government said enforcement operations—conducted nationwide by specialized units in coordination with foreign partners—will continue with zero tolerance for transnational cybercrime.