As digital technologies reshape societies worldwide, Cambodia finds itself confronting a growing wave of online fraud and human trafficking that experts say is complicated by significant gaps in technological expertise, alongside accusations from some international media and organisations.

Despite ongoing efforts and close cooperation with international partners, Cambodia’s limited capacity in technology development and enforcement remains a key obstacle in curbing these transnational crimes.

Chou Bun Eng, vice-chairwoman of the National Committee for Counter Trafficking (NCCT), paints a candid picture of Cambodia’s current battle against human trafficking and online fraud.

She emphasised that although the Kingdom has made strides in legal and institutional responses — backed by a landmark 2008 anti-trafficking law and active participation in international conventions — there remains a fundamental challenge in understanding and addressing crimes enabled by modern technology.

“Cambodia lacks sufficient expertise in modern technologies and remains primarily a user rather than a developer of such technologies,” Bun Eng told the media, in a press conference held last week at the Ministry of Interior.

This technological gap places Cambodia at a disadvantage in recognising, preventing and prosecuting sophisticated cyber-enabled crimes.

She further noted that the problem of online fraud is not isolated to Cambodia but a global phenomenon, where crimes increasingly intertwine with other forms of transnational offenses.

This convergence amplifies the difficulty in enforcement and requires coordinated international responses.

In the first five months of this year alone, 146 Cambodian women were repatriated from China in 63 separate cases. Supplied

Vulnerabilities and exploiters in a changing world

According to Bun Eng, the persistence of human trafficking and online scams is deeply rooted in global socio-economic conditions.

Wars, natural disasters and economic crises worldwide create vulnerable populations desperate for opportunities, which traffickers and fraudsters ruthlessly exploit.

“The world today is moving toward an immoral mindset where people care only about their own interests,” she said.

This environment emboldens criminals who leverage modern communication platforms to expand their operations seamlessly across borders, reaching victims in multiple countries and continents.

Bun Eng acknowledged that criminals often outpace law enforcement agencies, adapting rapidly to technological advances and finding new ways to conceal their activities.

The Cambodian government has worked hard — establishing the NCCT in 2014, which integrates 22 ministries and specialised units — but results have been mixed.

While the situation has not escalated beyond control, the impact of these crimes continues to affect communities and the economy.

One major hurdle remains inconsistent international cooperation.

“Legal interpretations vary between countries,” Bun Eng explained.

“What we define as a crime, others may not. Victims in Cambodia might be viewed as criminals elsewhere,” she added.

Such discrepancies complicate extradition, arrest, and prosecution efforts against transnational organised crime groups.

Legal action taken against foreigners involved in trafficking and fraud include deportations and blacklisting, with over 20,000 foreigners deported in recent years. Supplied

Cambodia’s role: Victim or hub?

Some international media and other organisations have at times labelled Cambodia a major hub for online scams, raising concerns and triggering travel warnings that have negatively impacted the country’s economy.

These accusations have sparked strong rebuttals from Cambodian officials who insist the country is largely a victim, not the source, of such crimes.

Sok Phal, chairman of the interior ministry’s Commission for the Suppression of Cybercrime, stated that Cambodia’s population still lacks sufficient understanding of online operations that defraud people abroad, making the country attractive to foreign criminal networks seeking operational bases.

“Online criminals are using Cambodia as a base to commit crimes and defraud people in other countries,” Sok Phal said, citing the government’s decisive crackdown on illegal online systems, particularly in 2019 when major illegal gaming platforms were shut down.

Nevertheless, Cambodia remains on international cybercrime blacklists due to ongoing operations.

Sok Phal highlighted that most perpetrators are foreigners, with Chinese nationals ranking highest among those involved in online fraud schemes conducted from Cambodian soil.

He pointed out that Cambodia’s current legal framework related to cybercrime and online gambling is outdated, relying on laws enacted in 1994 that do not adequately address today’s digital challenges.

Efforts are underway to revise these laws, reflecting the rapid growth of online gambling and other internet-enabled crimes.

Law enforcement challenges in a transnational landscape

Seang Thearith, deputy commissioner of the National Police, shed light on the complexities of investigating online crimes that cross borders and involve actors from multiple countries.

Since the end of the 6th government mandate, the interior ministry has opened various official channels for victims — both Cambodian and foreign — to report online crimes, including social media platforms, hotlines and messaging apps.

From August 2023 to the present, authorities received thousands of intervention requests involving nearly 10,000 foreigners from 35 nationalities.

Despite this volume, Thearith noted that only a small fraction of cases — 68 individuals — were confirmed as actual victims of crimes such as trafficking, forced labour or deprivation of liberty.

Law enforcement officials arrested 129 suspects from five countries and temporarily closed 24 suspected illegal operations.

He clarified what he described as a public misunderstanding regarding requests for intervention and complaints by victims of online crimes.

Clandestine nature of crimes hinders investigations

Many perpetrators use false identities, work under layers of concealment and claim ignorance when confronted.

“They say they came to Cambodia through friends or job ads but cannot identify the real masterminds behind the operations,” Thearith explained.

Moreover, criminals exploit advanced digital tools to rapidly erase or transfer evidence, further complicating investigations.

Given these realities, Thearith stressed that cybercrime can only be effectively addressed through robust international cooperation involving bilateral, regional, multilateral and global partnerships.

Partner countries actively cooperating with Cambodia include Thailand, China, Vietnam, Japan, the US and Australia.

Combating human trafficking and protecting vulnerable Cambodians

Thearith explained that the authorities do not accept direct requests for intervention from alleged victims, which often complicates the investigative process.

“We cannot simply target a location just because foreigners are present or suspected of committing online crimes,” he said.

Sok Veasna, director general at the General Department of Immigration (GDI), detailed Cambodia’s measures to strengthen border security and prevent trafficking.

Veasna explained that the GDI works in coordination with the Ministry of Labour, particularly the General Department of Labour, to monitor foreign workers.

When signs of human trafficking are identified during inspections, the GDI collaborates with other institutions to take swift preventive action.

He noted that immigration officers at border gates — many of whom were previously unaware of how trafficking and related crimes operate — have now received extensive training on human trafficking, drug smuggling and money laundering.

“We also use technology systems to analyse data on foreigners entering and leaving Cambodia, helping to assess which nationalities may be involved in human trafficking and online fraud,” said Veasna.

“In the first five months of this year alone, 146 Cambodian women were repatriated from China in 63 separate cases,” he added.

This figure only accounts for those returned via Phnom Penh International Airport (Pochentong International Gate). Additional cases were recorded from Thailand, Vietnam and other countries.

Meanwhile, Cambodian authorities also worked to prevent cases of trafficking before departure.

“We intercepted 56 cases involving 105 individuals, including 90 women, who were being trafficked abroad,” he added.

Cambodian authorities also intercepted dozens of trafficking attempts before departure.

Legal actions against foreigners involved in trafficking and fraud include deportations and blacklisting, with over 20,000 foreigners deported from Cambodia in recent years for various offenses.

Cambodia’s fight against online fraud and trafficking is embedded within a broader regional and international context.

Cooperation with ASEAN countries and key partners such as China, South Korea, Japan and international organisations like the UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM) remains essential.

Officials agree that no single country can effectively combat these crimes alone, particularly given the rapidly evolving nature of technology and cyber-enabled criminal methods.

Misinformation and the need for accurate narratives

Cambodian authorities have also expressed concerns over media reports that they describe as misleading and unfairly associate Cambodia as a criminal hub without sufficient evidence.

Deputy police commissioner Thearith condemned such reports for reviving outdated or unrelated cases, arguing they damage Cambodia’s international reputation and obscure the reality that the country is a target, and exploited by foreign criminals.

“Online fraudsters are not Cambodian,” he stressed.

“They do not live here permanently but travel here from their own or third countries,” he added.

He urged other nations to strengthen their preventative measures to stop their nationals from engaging in crimes abroad, rather than shifting enforcement responsibilities onto Cambodia.

“This approach places the burden on Cambodia before their own enforcement actions begin,” he concluded.

Bun Eng also expressed disappointment over allegations that Cambodia has become a hub for online scams, particularly with regard to travel warnings and bans issued by other countries, which have severely impacted the national economy.

“Is there any government that wants to keep crime within its borders in order to develop its economy?” she asked.

“This kind of crime has not benefited the government — it has benefited the criminals, and in doing so, it has hurt both the government and the people,” she added.

Sok Phal noted that today’s fraud schemes are driven by digital technology, making it easier for criminals to operate.

“According to current estimates, AI-based fraud is the next dangerous trend, as AI can manipulate images, voices, documents and other forms of evidence,” he added.

He said criminals choose countries where people have weak knowledge of technology, suggesting that the majority of online fraud operations in Cambodia are conducted entirely by foreigners.