(Photo: Royal Thai Army)Cambodian authorities say a crackdown on online scam compounds has cut activity in half since the start of this year, as they face international pressure to dismantle networks accused of stealing billions annually from people worldwide. He added authorities are investigating more than 100 online scam cases, including tracking financial flows and personal assets. “We will bring the ringleaders and masterminds to justice,” he said, adding the state will soon “have control of all online scam operations, both small and large.”Still, activists and analysts who study transnational crime doubt the latest crackdown will eradicate the scam centres. The operations remain highly lucrative and relatively low-cost to maintain, especially with advances in artificial intelligence. The US Institute of Peace estimates that transnational criminal networks running illegal online gambling and scam operations worldwide stole nearly $64 billion in 2023 alone.

Source: Bangkok Post February 26, 2026 07:20 UTC