Cambodia's Minister of Information, Neth Pheaktra, announced that a draft law to suppress online scam centers was approved during a cabinet meeting on 13/3, chaired by Prime Minister Hun Manet.

The bill will now be submitted to the National Assembly for ratification, followed by promulgation by King Norodom Sihamoni. Given that the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) holds a majority in both houses of parliament, the bill is expected to pass easily.

This legislation is anticipated to become Cambodia's most important legal instrument in the fight against online fraud and money laundering. It aims to send a strong message that Cambodia is not a "haven" for cybercriminals.

Under the proposed law, individuals who organize or operate online scam compounds will face sentences of 5-10 years in prison and fines of up to 1 billion riel (approximately 250,000 USD). If these operations involve violence, torture, illegal detention, human trafficking, or forced labor, the penalties will increase to 10-20 years in prison, with fines potentially reaching 2 billion riel (approximately 500,000 USD).

In cases where scam operations result in one or more fatalities, ringleaders could be sentenced to 15-30 years in prison or life imprisonment. For lower-level participants directly involved in the scams, sentences could range from two to five years in prison, along with fines of about 500 million riel.

Cambodian police outside a compound during a visit by a South Korean diplomatic delegation, 16/10/2025. Photo: Reuters

According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, global cyber scam operations cause victims approximately 64 billion USD in losses each year. In Southeast Asia, hundreds of thousands of people are involved in these scam networks. Some are trafficked and forced to work against their will, while others participate voluntarily.

The Cambodian government recently launched a nationwide campaign to dismantle online scam centers. Officials report that since the campaign began mid-last year, approximately 200 scam compounds have been shut down.

Authorities have also initiated 79 cases involving 697 suspects, comprising both ringleaders and accomplices. Nearly 10,000 workers from 23 countries at these scam centers have been repatriated, while many others left Cambodia independently as the crackdown intensified.

Minister Neth Pheaktra stated that the government is strongly working to completely eradicate online scam centers from Cambodian territory, affirming that the country does not profit from such criminal activities.

Thanh Danh (Based on Xinhua, RTKH, AP)