In a statement released on Monday, December 22, the State Department for Diaspora Affairs confirmed the successful return of the individuals.

"A total of 119 Kenyans have been successfully repatriated following recent raids by Myanmar authorities and rebel groups, with efforts ongoing to secure the return of the remaining Kenyans amid complex regional dynamics," the department said.

The ministry noted that more than 200 other Kenyans remain stranded in the region. "Over 200 Kenyans were left behind and sought refuge in military shelters in Myawaddy and Shwe Kokko, while another group of over 100 Kenyans crossed into Thailand," the statement read.

The September 2025 raids reportedly led to arrests, seizures, bombings, and demolitions of the illegal camps, triggering violent confrontations between Myanmar government forces and rebel factions. As a result, many of the criminal operators fled, abandoning hundreds of foreign workers.

According to the Kenyan government, it responded promptly upon receiving an initial list of 126 affected citizens. It activated several measures through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Kenyan Embassy in Bangkok. The government also facilitated transportation and airport arrangements for the returnees.

Currently, 198 Kenyans are still in the region. This includes 66 individuals at Thailand’s Immigration Detention Centre, 129 in shelters inside Myanmar, and three in a Catholic safe house in Cambodia, the government disclosed.

Southeast Asia has increasingly become a hotbed for online scam networks estimated to generate billions of dollars. 

British journalist David Whitehouse, who has investigated cybercrime in the region, expressed concern about trafficking operations targeting African youth. “African youth, particularly English-speaking job seekers, are being increasingly targeted by traffickers linked to scam compounds,” Whitehouse told Global South World .

A report by Amnesty International, released in June and titled “I Was Someone Else’s Property” , documented 53 scamming compounds in Cambodia. It featured testimonies from 58 survivors of eight different nationalities, including nine children.

“Survivors of these scamming compounds describe being trapped in a living nightmare – enlisted in criminal enterprises that are operating with the apparent consent of the Cambodian government,” Amnesty International’s Secretary General Agnes Callamard said .

“Jobseekers from Asia and beyond are lured by the promise of well-paid work into hellish labour camps run by well-organised gangs, where they are forced to scam under the very real threat of violence.”

Cambodia has begun pulling back heavy weapons from its border with Thailand, marking the first phase of implementing the peace agreement signed in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday. Defence Ministry spokeswoman Lieutenant General Maly Socheata said the withdrawal began late on October 26, with ASEAN observers inspecting returning armoured vehicles in Siem Reap the following morning. The move follows the joint declaration signed by Prime Ministers Hun Manet and Anutin Charnvirakul, witnessed by U.S. President Donald Trump and Malaysian leader Anwar Ibrahim.

General suspended for pistol-whipping woman in traffic dispute

Cambodia’s National Military Police have suspended Brigadier General Chhim Chhem and referred his case to the Phnom Penh Municipal Court after he pistol-whipped a woman during a traffic altercation. Chhem is charged with “intentional acts of violence” under Article 217 of the Criminal Code, which carries a sentence of six months to three years. Authorities said Chhem attacked 20-year-old Pen Sokna after she blocked his car and demanded $5 in compensation for damage to her motorcycle. He has admitted guilt and pledged to compensate the victim.

Cambodia to scrap all tariffs on US goods under landmark trade deal

Cambodia will remove all tariffs on US industrial and agricultural products under a new trade agreement announced by the White House, granting American exporters unprecedented market access. The deal, signed alongside the ASEAN Summit, commits Cambodia to eliminate duties on US food, machinery and manufactured goods, while Washington will maintain a 19% reciprocal tariff, except for certain products that will face none. Phnom Penh also pledged to cut non-tariff barriers, recognise US safety and agricultural standards, and bolster labour, environmental and intellectual property protections. President Trump hailed the pact as “a forward-looking and tough trade deal” benefiting American workers and farmers.

Four foreigners arrested in Siem Reap over online ‘love scam’

Cambodian authorities have arrested four foreign nationals in Siem Reap for allegedly running a cryptocurrency “love scam” targeting victims abroad. The joint operation, carried out on October 24 by provincial police and prosecutors, led to the arrest of three Chinese men — Xiao Song, Han Jiajia and Qin Cilong — and a Vietnamese woman, Luong Thi Que, at a rented villa in Sala Kanseng Village. Officers seized computers, phones and other evidence. The suspects admitted to posing as online romantics to defraud victims. Officials said the arrests form part of Cambodia’s wider crackdown on technology-based crime.

Cop killed in Kampong Thom drug raid

A police officer was killed and another seriously injured after a drug dealer opened fire with an AK-47 during a crackdown in Kampong Thom province on October 23. The shooting occurred in Bek Chan village, Taing Kork district, when suspect Thorn Dina, 29, and an accomplice opened fire on officers, killing Lieutenant Colonel Huon Saway and injuring Lieutenant Colonel Tim Channy. The suspects fled on a motorbike toward Kampong Cham province. Police have launched a manhunt. 

His portfolio included high-end hotels, ambitious property developments, and a collection of London estates reportedly worth over $130 million. To the public, Chen was a symbol of modern Asian entrepreneurship and a man who built billions through luxury and innovation.

But that narrative has collapsed.

In October 2025, the United States and the United Kingdom jointly launched one of the largest cybercrime crackdowns in history, accusing Chen and his associates of running a transnational criminal network that profited from human trafficking, online scams, and crypto fraud.

More than 146 individuals and companies were sanctioned, and assets worth billions, including real estate and digital currencies , were frozen. Investigators traced the flow of money from fake job ads, romance scams, and crypto schemes back to Chen’s network in Cambodia and beyond.

Authorities allege that behind the façade of luxury developments and high-finance operations lies a vast web of “scam compounds” across Southeast Asia. Trafficked workers from across the region were forced to run online fraud under threats of violence, generating billions of dollars in illicit profits.