AKP Phnom Penh, March 23, 2026 --

Cambodian authorities have detained 49 people in a raid on an alleged online scam operation in the capital, officials said on Monday, as the Royal Government intensifies a crackdown on cybercrime.

A joint task force under the Phnom Penh Unified Command Committee conducted the operation on Sunday afternoon at a hotel in the capital’s Khan Sen Sok, acting on orders from Phnom Penh Governor H.E. Khuong Sreng. The raid was led by Phnom Penh Police Commissioner Choun Narin, with legal oversight from Deputy Prosecutor Chhay Hong.

Authorities said those detained included 43 Chinese nationals, three Malaysians, one Vietnamese woman, one Myanmar woman and one Cambodian woman.

Police seized 60 all-in-one computers, 31 CPUs, one laptop, 687 mobile phones and 46 Malaysian SIM cards, according to an official report.

Preliminary investigations indicate the group used Cambodia as a base to carry out fraudulent schemes, primarily “fake investment” scams targeting victims in Malaysia and other countries. The suspects are believed to have recently relocated their operation from Thbong Khmum province, officials added.

All suspects and evidence have been handed over to Phnom Penh police for further legal action, including efforts to identify and apprehend those behind the operation.

Authorities also urged landlords to remain vigilant over foreign tenants suspected of involvement in illegal or cybercrime-related activities.

Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet has pledged to eradicate online scam operations in Cambodia by April 2026, warning that the country “is not a haven for cybercriminals” and that those involved will face the full force of the law without exception.

By K. Rithy Reak