Over 400 Foreign Nationals Deported After Major Scam Compound Raids in Cambodia

Cambodian authorities have deported more than 400 foreign nationals in a single day following a sweeping series of raids on suspected online scam compounds, as pressure mounts on the government to dismantle criminal networks that have tarnished the country’s international reputation.

The General Department of Immigration (GDI) said that 406 foreigners from nine countries were expelled on February 2, 2026, after being found to have illegally lived and worked in Cambodia. Official images released by the department showed groups of deportees being escorted through Techo International Airport, under heavy security.

Among those deported were 28 women, according to immigration officials. The majority were Chinese nationals, accounting for 140 of the total, while others came from Indonesia, Bangladesh, Uganda, Nigeria, South Korea, India, Thailand, and Sierra Leone.

Authorities said the individuals were linked to a range of offenses, including cross-border fraud, online theft, and the use of fake QR codes, crimes that have increasingly drawn international scrutiny to Cambodia’s role in regional cybercrime operations.

Raids Follow Weeks of Large-Scale Arrests

The mass deportation is part of an escalating crackdown on scam centres operating across the country, particularly in border areas known for cybercrime activity.

Just days earlier, Cambodian police deported 59 Vietnamese nationals for similar violations. Between January 23 and 26, nearly 750 Malaysians were also expelled after being detained in coordinated operations.

The largest operation occurred on January 31, when authorities raided suspected scam compounds in Bavet City, Svay Rieng province, detaining more than 2,000 foreigners from nine countries in what officials described as one of the biggest single anti-scam operations in recent years.

The raids reflect growing concern from neighbouring countries and international partners over the proliferation of online scam networks that exploit victims across Asia and beyond.

Calls to Target Masterminds, Not Just Workers

While human rights advocates have welcomed the intensified enforcement, some warn that deportations alone will not be enough to dismantle the criminal infrastructure behind the scams.

Khun Tharo, Programme Manager at the Centre for Alliance of Labour and Human Rights (CENTRAL), said the recent actions were a positive step but stressed that authorities must now focus on those running the operations.

“It is more important to gain trust back from the international community,” Tharo said, arguing that targeting masterminds, co-conspirators, and compound owners is critical to rebuilding Cambodia’s reputation.

He added that despite the scale of recent crackdowns, many Cambodian citizens and affected industries remain sceptical, wanting to see those who profit from online scams held accountable in court rather than simply deported.

Concerns Over Corruption and Illegal Employment

Tharo also raised concerns about how such large numbers of foreigners were able to live and work illegally in the country in the first place.

“There may be systemic corruption that requires investigation,” he said, calling for deeper scrutiny of officials and networks that may have enabled illegal operations to function openly.

Online scam centres have often been linked to human trafficking, forced labour, and document fraud, with workers reportedly lured into Cambodia under false job promises before being coerced into cybercrime activities.

Deportations Reach Record Levels

According to data from the General Department of Immigration, Cambodia deported 13,557 foreign nationals from 66 countries in 2025 after determining they were involved in criminal activities.

As regional governments continue to push for coordinated action against cybercrime, experts say Cambodia’s response in the coming months will be closely watched, particularly whether enforcement efforts move beyond mass arrests toward dismantling the financial and political structures that allow scam networks to thrive.

For now, the deportation of more than 400 foreigners in a single day marks one of the clearest signals yet that authorities are under pressure to act — and to be seen acting — against an industry that has drawn increasing global concern.