Cambodia’s claim to have ended scam compounds met with scepticism

Cambodia has announced it has eradicated its scam compounds, claiming large-scale cybercrime operations are now fully under control with no remaining compounds. Senior Minister Chhay Sinarith stated this to foreign diplomats and international officials, attributing the success to eradicating operations, legal actions, and establishing a cybersecurity framework. However, Amnesty International and industry experts have expressed skepticism, questioning the claim's independent verification. Amnesty International's co-regional director noted that the true measure of success would be the investigation and prosecution of responsible actors, not just the closure of compounds. The Cambodian government acknowledged that criminal groups are shifting to decentralized operations, which they will continue to target.

Cambodia has claimed it has eradicated all large-scale online scam compounds following a sweeping crackdown. The government's Ad-Hoc Commission for Combating Online Scams stated that law enforcement investigated nearly 800 suspected scam locations and raided over 600 sites between July 2025 and August 2026, detaining nearly 30,000 suspects. Cambodian authorities also rescued and deported over 58,000 foreign nationals. However, some independent groups and anti-trafficking consultants remain skeptical, citing credible indicators that scamming operations and the recruitment of foreign workers for such activities continue. The crackdown included the extradition of two alleged influential businessmen involved in the illicit trade. Cambodia also adopted a new law in March targeting online scam operations with severe penalties.