Cambodia urged to target ‘key figures’ as Chinese scam gangs defy crackdowns in ‘sin city’

Some 450 people were arrested in the latest raids earlier this month, showing that crime continues to plague the coastal city of Sihanoukville

Observers say to truly extinguish the criminal operations, officials must go after ‘key figures’ protecting the industry dominated by Chinese scam gangs

Reading Time:4 minutes

An aerial view of Sihanoukville. The city has become known as a hub for scam operations over the past few years. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 4:10pm, 18 Mar 2024Updated: 6:47pm, 18 Mar 2024

Cambodia’s continued crackdowns in Sihanoukville show the coastal “sin city” is still likely powered by the scam industry, observers said, despite mounting pressure on the government to eradicate the predominantly Chinese crime gangs that have made billions of dollars from cyber fraud.

During the latest raid March 9-10, officials arrested more than 450 people who were allegedly part of illegal online gambling and “pig-butchering” scam businesses thriving behind the fronts of authorised casinos.

Many foreign criminal networks have penetrated Cambodia over the past several years through such operations, with most controlled by Chinese mafia groups that centre their scams in semi-lawless Sihanoukville. Many condominiums and commercial buildings have been hastily erected to be used as worker dormitories, offices and other support sites from which to run cyber fraud businesses.

While the investigations showed the “increased level of concern” from local authorities, the efforts were not extensive enough to extinguish the scam operations, said Benedikt Hofman, deputy representative for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in Southeast Asia and the Pacific.

“The focus on law enforcement and raids will most likely lead to geographic shifts rather than lasting impact,” he added. “If past experience is any indication, business will be back in a few months.”

According to local reports, some Chinese workers who had been on a Lunar New Year break avoided being rounded up by delaying their return to Sihanoukville, while others reportedly checked into hotels to avoid being caught at their work stations.

02:46

‘I was beaten quite often’: Victim recounts experience with Cambodia scam operation

Police raids usually target relatively small and obscure scam operations, said Huang Yan, a Chinese reporter based in Cambodia who monitors scam-related news for the Chinese-language news outlet Angkor Observer, including workers believed to be scamming their nationals in Thai, Vietnamese and Khmer languages.

Cambodia urged to target ‘key figures’ as Chinese scam gangs defy crackdowns in ‘sin city’

Some 450 people were arrested in the latest raids earlier this month, showing that crime continues to plague the coastal city of Sihanoukville Observers say to truly extinguish the criminal operations, officials must go after ‘key figures’ protecting the industry dominated by Chinese scam gangs