Phnom Penh authorities and law enforcement raided a suspected cyber fraud operation at a condominium in Phnom Penh on March 10, the latest in a series of busts in support of the Kingdom’s goal of eliminating all such activities by Khmer New Year.
The operation, on Street 360 in Tuol Svay Prey I commune, Boeung Keng Kang district, saw 65 suspects detained.
What made the latest raid stand out was not the number of detainees, but the press pool which accompanied the officers.
It was covered by journalists from several international media outlets, including the Associated Press (AP), Agence France-Presse (AFP), Reuters, Phoenix Satellite TV, Japanese news outlet Nippon Media and the European Pressphoto Agency (EPA), among others.
The suspects were mostly Chinese nationals, though there were also Cambodians among them. Authorities confiscated 384computers and mobile phones.
Since January, the Phnom Penh joint task force has raided a total of 65 locations, arresting 887 suspects (including 233 women). Among them, 556 individuals (including 55 women) of 16different nationalities were determined to be involved in online scamming.
Authorities have built case files against the ringleaders and their accomplices to be forwarded to the court for legal proceedings. The remaining individuals have been transferred to the General Department of Immigration and relevant specialised agencies for further procedures, including deportation to their home countries.
