Overview: Cambodia’s recent crackdown

Following a directive issued on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, by Prime Minister Hun Manet, authorities launched intensified operations across the country targeting cybercrime and online scam networks Reddit+3Reddit+3Reddit+3Reddit+10AP News+10AP News+10.

Between Monday and Wednesday, raids in at least five provinces resulted in over 1,000 arrests. Suspects were detained in Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville, Poipet, Kratie, and Pursat

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✅ Profile of the arrests

• Nationalities involved: The detainees included Vietnamese (200+), Chinese (27+), Taiwanese (75), Indonesians (270, including 45 women), Bangladeshi, Myanmar, Thai nationals, as well as about 85 Cambodian citizens among others 朝日新聞+10AP News+10Seattle Post-Intelligencer+10.

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• In Kratie province alone, 312 individuals were arrested; in Poipet, about 270 Indonesians were detained; and smaller groups were arrested in Pursat and Sihanoukville OCCRP+11AP News+111News+11.

• Police confiscated vast quantities of equipment used in scam operations—computers, mobile phones, etc.

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• This crackdown follows international criticism, particularly from Amnesty International, which earlier this year accused Cambodia of overlooking severe human rights abuses—including human trafficking, forced labor, and torture—linked to scam operations ABC News+12Reuters+12AP News+12.

• Since late June through mid-July, Cambodian cybercrime raids have netted more than 2,100 arrests across 43 sites, including over 2,400 arrests in 18 operations earlier in 2025 AP News+1cambodianess.com+1.

• The ongoing campaign aligns with ASEAN efforts to combat cyber scams, which are estimated to generate billions annually and heavily exploit trafficked labor from foreign workers

mbodia makes 1,000 arrests in latest crackdown on cybercrime