Cambodia’s Interior Ministry has dismissed a recent report by the Singapore-based outlet CNA, which claimed that scam networks in the country remain largely untouched because police operations only target low-level actors. The ministry said the report does not reflect the reality on the ground.
In a statement released today, the ministry said Cambodia has long upheld a strict policy against all forms of transnational crime. It added that many developed countries are also struggling to confront similar networks and that no nation can eliminate such crimes on its own.
The ministry said Cambodia is not the only country affected by transnational criminal activity, which has spread across the region and beyond. It stressed that Phnom Penh welcomes close cooperation with international partners to tackle the problem.
According to the statement, the CNA report not only harms Cambodia’s reputation but also undermines the work of partner task forces that have been collaborating with Cambodian authorities.
Officials said that despite ongoing challenges, Cambodian police continue regular operations to protect both the country’s population and foreign nationals affected by scam networks. The ministry noted that these countries are working closely with Cambodian law enforcement.
CNA published its report on November 21, titled Scam centers in Cambodia are not going anywhere, alleging that police actions have only netted small-scale offenders and serve mainly to show that authorities are active.
The ministry’s statement acknowledged the country is currently under intense international scrutiny, following allegations of links between scam operations and Prince Group, as well as the recent death of a South Korean student in a related case.
Despite this pressure, the ministry said Cambodia carried out 24 anti-scam operations in 2025. Thirteen were based on domestic investigations, and 11 were conducted in cooperation with foreign agencies.
Authorities said nearly two thousand foreign nationals have been detained this year, with 1,859 arrests recorded. Eleven cases have been forwarded to the courts, and 148 suspected ringleaders or high-risk individuals have also been taken into custody.
