Cambodia's Scam Crackdown Has Detained Nearly 5,000 Suspects, With 77 Police Officers Disciplined

Cambodia's Ministry of Interior says 4,834 people — both Cambodian and foreign nationals — are currently in custody in connection with technology-facilitated scam operations. Among those detained are 737 women. Separately, 77 officers from the national police have faced disciplinary consequences for involvement in scam-related offences, with some removed from their posts and expelled from the force entirely.

Ministry spokesman Touch Sokhak shared the figures on Friday, noting they cover the period from the launch of the nationwide crackdown through September 18.

Breakdown of Detainees

Of the nearly 5,000 individuals held, 491 are Cambodian citizens, including 193 women. The remaining 4,343 are foreign nationals from 27 countries, with 544 women among them. All are being held across 23 prisons and correctional facilities throughout the country.

Sokhak said the detainees are divided into four legal categories:

• Accused: 4,168 individuals, including 621 women, who have been formally charged by prosecutors at municipal or provincial courts.
• Defendants under investigation: 441 individuals, including 73 women, currently undergoing pre-trial judicial investigation.
• Convicted, pending appeal: 194 individuals, including 33 women, who have been sentenced but whose verdicts are not yet final because they retain the right to appeal.
• Serving sentences: 31 individuals, including 10 women, whose convictions are final and who are either imprisoned or paying court-imposed fines.

The five facilities holding the most scam-related inmates are Svay Rieng Provincial Prison, Preah Sihanouk Provincial Prison, Banteay Meanchey Provincial Prison, Correctional Centre 1, and Koh Kong Provincial Prison.

Penalties for Police Officers

Sokhak detailed the range of sanctions applied to the 77 disciplined officers, which include formal warnings, demotions, duty suspensions, temporary pay cuts, dismissal from their positions, and full expulsion from the police force.

Officers implicated in scam crimes are handled under two tracks, he explained. Those whose involvement is considered minor face internal disciplinary measures under 2024 regulations governing the Cambodian National Police. Those whose conduct rises to the level of a criminal offence have their cases referred to the courts. Sokhak confirmed that multiple cases have been forwarded for prosecution but did not provide a detailed breakdown of the 77 cases.