Cambodia Plans National Center to Combat Tech-Based Scams

The Ministry of Interior of Cambodia has announced its plan to establish a new "National Center for Combating Tech-Based Scams" to counter the global proliferation of cyber fraud, which is also on the rise domestically. This initiative was revealed by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sar Sokha during a high-level forum at an international conference on combating tech-based scams on the morning of September 23, 2026. Deputy Prime Minister Sar Sokha stated that the primary objective of establishing this national center is to enhance the efficiency of addressing tech-based scam cases in a timely manner. He further emphasized that this plan demonstrates the Cambodian government's increased commitment and attention to combating cybercrime, which is considered a top priority agenda item. Cambodia has already implemented a law on combating tech-based scams and established an ad-hoc committee, alongside developing related legal frameworks and regulatory documents to respond to these offenses. "The establishment of these legal frameworks and mechanisms is to support and achieve the firm political commitment of the government's leadership to eradicate tech-based scams from Cambodia and prevent these offenses from recurring," he stressed. During the same forum, Deputy Prime Minister Sar Sokha also reported on the achievements of the Ministry of Interior's law enforcement agencies in cracking down on online scam operations over the past year. A total of 665 criminal locations have been busted, and administrative inspections have been conducted at 28,512 locations. Consequently, 268 cases have been forwarded to the courts, with 2,773 suspects arrested. Of these, 2,200 are currently imprisoned, and 21,102 foreigners from 38 nationalities have been deported from Cambodia. The Deputy Prime Minister affirmed Cambodia's commitment to cooperating with partner countries and international organizations, in addition to enforcing laws and domestic mechanisms, to track down and arrest key fugitive masterminds, thereby eradicating these criminal networks at their roots.