Cambodia busts global scam racket on India's alert: 3,075 arrested, nationals from 20 countries

In one of the biggest global crackdowns on online fraud networks, Cambodian authorities have arrested over 3,000 individuals in a sweeping 15-day operation targeting digital scams. The move came after requests from Indian authorities, including the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), and the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C).

"More than 3,000 people involved in online fraud were arrested in Cambodia," Home Ministry sources told Aaj Tak. "This was a big step by the Cambodian government on the request of MHA, Ministry of External Affairs and I4C."

As part of the operation, Cambodian law enforcement raided 138 locations and detained 3,075 individuals - including 606 women - connected to various online scams. Those arrested span multiple nationalities: 1,028 Chinese nationals, 693 Vietnamese, 366 Indonesians, 105 Indians, 101 Bangladeshis, 82 Thais, 57 Koreans, 81 Pakistanis, 13 Nepalese, 4 Malaysians, and others from the Philippines, Laos, Cameroon, Nigeria, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Mongolia, Russia, and Myanmar.

From the scenes of the raids, authorities recovered a wide range of evidence including computers, laptops, mobile phones, drug processing equipment, ecstasy powder, pills, and weapons. Items impersonating law enforcement were also found — including Chinese police uniforms and fake Indian police uniforms.

Officials of the Government of India and the Ministry of External Affairs are taking steps to deport more than 105 Indians arrested in Cambodia.

This coordinated action came after a high-level meeting last month between Cambodian authorities and senior officials from India's Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Home Affairs.