The United States has accused Cambodia’s government of not only failing to address human trafficking but also of being systemically complicit in enabling the crime.
In its 2025 Trafficking in Persons report released on September 29, the US State Department placed Cambodia on the Tier 3 Watch List. The report said senior officials had benefited financially from trafficking operations, while others had intimidated victims, witnesses, and civil society groups working to combat online fraud linked to trafficking.
The report also alleged that Cambodian authorities blocked investigations into scam compounds, amounting to protection for operators. Washington highlighted that Phnom Penh had failed to prosecute a ruling party senator and senior government adviser sanctioned by the US, despite evidence of his ownership of multiple businesses tied to online fraud.
The State Department noted Cambodia has not reported any convictions since 2022, underscoring its failure to meet minimum standards to eliminate trafficking.
Cambodia’s own National Committee for Counter Trafficking admitted earlier this year that trafficking had risen in 2024. It said authorities targeted 72 locations across 18 provinces, detaining more than 3,000 suspects of 19 different nationalities by August 21, 2025.
Prime Minister Hun Manet acknowledged in December 2024 that Cambodia was being used as a base for human trafficking, but he pledged zero tolerance for all forms of cross-border crime.
Still, the US Treasury last year froze the assets of ruling party senator Ly Yong Phat and several of his businesses under sanctions for alleged trafficking, money laundering, forced labor, and online fraud.
The Cambodia Daily was unable to reach Chou Bun Eng, the permanent vice chair of the national anti-trafficking committee, for comment by the time of broadcast.
