On February 26, 2026, forces under Chbar Ampov district’s unified administrative command searched a suspected site in Borey Peng Huoth, Prek Pra commune, Phnom Penh, and detained 81 foreigners suspected of involvement in an online scam network.
The operation followed instructions from the National Police, with procedural coordination by a representative of the prosecutor’s office at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court and the Secretariat of the Commission for Combating Online Scams.
According to the authorities’ report, the 81 suspects comprised 72 Chinese and nine Myanmar nationals. They were suspected of using romance scams to attract victims and defraud them online.
The report said authorities seized more than 60 computers and electronic devices, 480 phones and other related materials. It interpreted these materials as indicating a structured operation.
The suspects and evidence were handed to the Phnom Penh Municipal Police for further legal procedures, while the site was sealed to prevent continued activity.
The report said Cambodia’s anti-scam campaign over more than eight months had dismantled over 200 sites across the capital and provinces, involving people of as many as 26 nationalities. Numerous suspected casinos and buildings had been sealed for further investigation.
In Preah Sihanouk province alone, the report said authorities had inspected nearly 90 suspected locations and sealed more than half, reflecting tighter enforcement against transnational fraud networks.
Chhay Sinarith, head of the anti-scam commission’s secretariat, said authorities were investigating more than 100 cases and tracking related financial flows and assets to dismantle mastermind networks at their roots.
The report also cited the head of government as saying Cambodia would not be allowed to become a destination for technology criminals, and that individuals or entities involved would face strict action under the law.
The article described the Chbar Ampov operation as more than the closure of a criminal site, seeing it as a sign of Cambodia’s commitment to strengthening security, protecting victims and rebuilding confidence in its investment environment and national safety. By KPS99TV
