Overview
- Cambodian senior minister Chhay Sinarith told foreign diplomats that large-scale scam compounds have been eradicated, citing more than 700 closed sites, nearly 30,000 detentions and 58,266 deportations.
- The government pointed to high-profile extraditions of alleged kingpins Chen Zhi and Li Xiong and a new March law that allows life sentences for organisers as key tools in the crackdown.
- Human-rights groups, anti-trafficking experts and reporters expressed strong skepticism about the eradication claim and warned that closures do not prove criminal networks or political protection have been dismantled.
- Authorities acknowledge a tactical shift by criminal groups toward decentralised operations in guesthouses, condos, rental homes, vehicles and coffee shops and say those smaller cells remain under investigation.
- The campaign responds to heavy international pressure as investigations have highlighted large-scale fraud and abuse that UNODC estimates cost victims $88–114 billion in 2025, and survivors and rights groups say long-term protections and prosecutions are still needed.