Cambodia has deported 156 Chinese nationals accused of involvement in online scam operations, authorities said, as Amnesty International questioned the effectiveness of the government’s efforts to tackle the country’s cybercrime industry.
The General Department of Immigration said the Chinese nationals were removed from Cambodia on a special flight departing from Techo International Airport on 10 June. The agency said they had been living and working illegally and were linked to online fraud activities.
Authorities described the deportations as part of an ongoing nationwide campaign against technology-based scams, which have drawn growing international scrutiny in recent years.
The immigration department said Cambodia was enforcing strict legal measures against foreign nationals involved in online crimes and cross-border criminal networks. It said the campaign aimed to protect public safety and dismantle scam operations across the country.
According to official figures, more than 13,000 foreign nationals linked to online fraud schemes were deported between January 2025 and April 2026, including about 1,500 women. Authorities also said more than 240,000 foreigners believed to be connected to such activities left Cambodia voluntarily during the same period.
However, Amnesty International said in a report published on 8 June that scam compounds and trafficking networks continued to operate despite government claims of progress.
The rights group said it had identified 86 scam compounds across Cambodia as of April 2026, including 33 newly documented sites. Researchers interviewed 73 survivors from 16 countries who reported experiences of human trafficking, forced labour, torture, sexual violence, and unlawful detention inside the compounds.
Amnesty also alleged that some law enforcement officials had colluded with criminal groups, enabling scam operators to evade raids and continue their activities. The organisation further said none of the survivors it interviewed had been formally identified as victims of human trafficking by Cambodian authorities.
The Cambodian government has not publicly responded to Amnesty’s latest findings. It has previously rejected similar allegations and maintained that it is intensifying efforts to combat online fraud and dismantle criminal networks operating in the country.
