Sihanoukville Cracks Down on Tech Scam Hub, Arrests 12 Indonesians

In Sihanoukville, a major port city in southern Cambodia, authorities conducted a raid on a residential property suspected of being an online scam operation on September 22, 2026, at approximately 8:30 PM. The operation resulted in the arrest of 12 individuals, all of Indonesian nationality. The crackdown was carried out under the directives of General Sao Sokha, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces and Commander of the Gendarmerie, and Mr. Mang Sineth, Governor of Sihanoukville Province. The operation was directly commanded by Colonel Heng Bunty, Commander of the Sihanoukville Provincial Gendarmerie. A specialized unit from the Security Information Investigation Department, consisting of 12 officers led by Colonel Song Kosal, deputy commander, with procedural coordination from Mr. Chay Sotra, Deputy Prosecutor of the Provincial Court, inspected and searched the location. During the search, 12 Indonesian nationals, including three women, were apprehended. Numerous items were seized as evidence from the scene. These include 13 "All-in-One" desktop computers, 28 mobile phones suspected of being used for online scams, 19 personal mobile phones, 52 SIM cards, 8 passports, 2 work permits, 2 identification cards, and 2 bank cards. The 12 suspects and the seized evidence have been transferred to the Sihanoukville Provincial Gendarmerie Headquarters for further questioning and legal proceedings.