Cambodia and UK Sign MoU to Enhance Cooperation Against Tech Scams

The Ministry of Interior of the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Home Office of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation in combating tech scams. This agreement aims to jointly eradicate cross-border technology offenses and enhance regional and international security. The signing ceremony was held at the Ministry of Interior on the afternoon of September 23, 2026. His Excellency, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Sar Sokha, signed on behalf of Cambodia, while His Excellency Lord Hanson, the UK Home Secretary, signed for the United Kingdom. The event was attended by His Excellency Dominic Williams, the British Ambassador to Cambodia, along with senior leaders and officials from both sides. During the occasion, Deputy Prime Minister Sar Sokha highlighted the strong will and tangible results achieved by the Cambodian government in combating tech scams. As of September 1, 2026, over 50,000 foreign nationals have been expelled or voluntarily departed from Cambodia. Some have returned to their home countries, while others have relocated to neighboring countries such as Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. Regarding law enforcement, the Deputy Prime Minister further stated that since the "Law on Combating Tech Scams" was put into effect in April 2026, Cambodian authorities have sent approximately 2,200 related individuals and cases to the courts, with further preparations underway for additional cases. Concurrently, starting from October 1, 2026, Cambodia will no longer permit online casino operations or online betting within casinos. His Excellency Lord Hanson, the UK Home Secretary, commended and highly valued the commitment and decisive measures taken by Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, in eradicating tech scam offenses. He also acknowledged Cambodia's efforts in organizing the International Conference on Combating Tech Scams. Lord Hanson affirmed that the United Kingdom considers Cambodia a significant partner in the region and is prepared to share experiences, best practices, and engage in close cooperation with Cambodia in the future. He described the signing of the MoU as not only a new historical step in the relationship between the law enforcement agencies of both countries but also a clear warning to technology criminal groups that Cambodia is not a safe haven for illegal activities. The MoU between the Cambodian Ministry of Interior and the United Kingdom establishes a Special Task Force, which will complement the existing task forces Cambodia has with Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Korea, Japan, and Australia. Through this MoU, both parties will facilitate mutual confidential information sharing, exchange of crime data, and capacity building training for law enforcement officials from both countries. This will aid in investigating the origins of offenses, preventing money laundering, confiscating proceeds from scams, and prosecuting criminals. Source: CEN Cambodia