AKP Phnom Penh, March 11, 2026 — A group of 20 international journalists visited a site in Phnom Penh where Cambodian authorities recently dismantled an alleged online scam operation, documenting the crackdown as part of broader efforts to expose transnational cybercrime.

Reporters from major international media organisations, including The Associated Press (AP), Agence France-Presse (AFP), Reuters, Phoenix Satellite Television, Japan’s Nippon Media, and the European Pressphoto Agency (EPA), were taken on Mar. 10 to the suspected scam location to observe and report on the operation.

The site is located in the Golden One condominium building, Unit 41 on the 30th floor, along Street 360 in Sangkat Tuol Svay Prey I, Khan Boeung Keng Kang of the Cambodian capital.

Authorities said the operation was launched following an investigation into suspected technology-enabled fraud activities believed to have begun around mid-January 2026 at the location. The crackdown took place late on Mar. 10.

Officials from the Phnom Penh Municipal Police, under the National Police, along with a representative of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court prosecutor’s office, told reporters at the scene that a total of 65 suspects — including 27 women — were detained. The suspects include both Chinese and Cambodian nationals.

Police also seized a large quantity of equipment believed to have been used in the operation, including 89 all-in-one computers, one monitor, one CPU unit and 384 mobile phones. Authorities said the items remained in their original condition at the site pending further legal procedures.

The raid was conducted under the direct orders of Phnom Penh Municipal Governor H.E. Khuong Sreng and Phnom Penh Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Chuon Narin. The operation involved specialised police units and local authorities from Khan Boeung Keng Kang, with legal procedures coordinated by Seng Heang, deputy prosecutor at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court.

Preliminary findings from investigators indicate that the suspects allegedly used the premises in Cambodia as a base to conduct online scams targeting victims in other countries. The schemes reportedly involved persuading victims to invest in fraudulent investment projects and romance-related scams.

The suspects and seized evidence have been transferred to the Phnom Penh Municipal Police for further legal processing and investigation aimed at identifying the masterminds behind the operation.

Authorities said a joint task force under the Phnom Penh Unified Command has been intensifying efforts to dismantle online scam operations across the capital. Between Jan. and Mar. 10 this year, authorities carried out crackdowns on 65 suspected scam locations.

During those operations, a total of 887 suspects — including 233 women — were detained. Among them were 556 foreign nationals from 16 different nationalities, including 55 women, suspected of involvement in online fraud activities.

Officials said cases linked to alleged ringleaders and accomplices are being prepared for court proceedings, while other detainees have been handed over to the General Department of Immigration and relevant authorities for further procedures, including deportation to their home countries.

Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet has pledged to eliminate technology-based scam operations in Cambodia by April 2026, emphasing that the country will not serve as a haven for cybercriminals or transnational fraud networks.

“Cambodia is not a place for criminals using technology to conduct scams or cross-border crimes,” he said, warning that anyone involved in such activities would face the full force of the law without leniency or interference.

By K. Rithy Reak