Why hundreds of Vietnamese nationals were arrested in Cambodia’s scam compound raids

This comes as the country intensifies efforts to crack down on online crime.

The arrests were part of a sweeping operation launched after Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet warned security forces and the military to act swiftly against cybercriminal networks or risk losing their jobs.

Between June 14 and 15, police raided two buildings in the capital, Phnom Penh, arresting 149 Vietnamese nationals, three Chinese citizens, and 85 Cambodians.

In a separate operation in Sihanoukville, a coastal city known as a hotspot for scam centres, officers detained another 63 Vietnamese and seized over 50 computers.

The raids come amid growing concerns over Southeast Asia’s role in the global scam industry. The United Nations has described the region as "ground zero" for internet scam operations, which are estimated to defraud social media users of up to US$40 billion a year.

Many of the workers in these centres are believed to be victims themselves, trafficked or tricked into taking the jobs under false promises.

Human rights groups say they are often held against their will, forced to work long hours and denied basic freedoms.

The Prime Minister’s directive, released publicly this week, made clear that any officer failing to take action would face dismissal.

Cambodia has previously deported foreign nationals caught in similar operations.

In March, the government sent home 119 Thais who were among 230 people arrested during cyber scam raids near the Thai border.

The UN Office on Drugs and Crime warned earlier this year that the scam industry is no longer limited to Southeast Asia.

It said organised criminal groups have started building similar operations in other parts of the world, including Africa, the Middle East, South America, and some Pacific islands.