25 foreign nationals detained following an online scam raid in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on July 22, 2026 (Agence Kampuchea Presse)
On July 22, Cambodian authorities detained 25 foreign nationals after uncovering what investigators describe as an illegal online investment scam operating from a villa in Phnom Penh.
The enforcement action was carried out at a property in the Boeung Kak II commune, Tuol Kouk district. The operation was led by the Phnom Penh Municipal Unity Command under the direction of Governor Khuong Sreng and conducted in coordination with Deputy Prosecutor Toch Oudom of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court.
Municipal administration spokesperson Dor Samphors said officers searched the residence after it was suspected of being used as a base for an organised cyber fraud network.
Investigators reported finding evidence indicating that the property was actively being used to facilitate fraudulent online investment activities.
A total of 25 suspects, including four women, were taken into custody. The group consisted of 21 Chinese nationals and four Myanmar nationals. Authorities said 17 of the Chinese suspects were unable to present passports during the operation, while two others were found carrying forged travel documents.
Authorities also seized numerous electronic devices believed to have supported the alleged scam. Among the items confiscated were 13 laptops, 16 all-in-one desktop computers, seven mobile phones, five Wi-Fi routers, a computer monitor, six valid passports and three counterfeit passports.
According to the Cybercrime Unit of the Phnom Penh Municipal Police Headquarters, forensic analysis confirmed that the seized devices had been used to conduct fraudulent online investment schemes.
Authorities have also temporarily sealed the villa as the investigation into the alleged cybercrime operation continues.
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