This time we're serious says Cambodia: Online scam detainees pass over 3,000 in latest campaign
PHNOM PENH: The number of people detained in the latest online scam crackdown has passed 3,000, with most facing deportation.
From June 27 to July 22, authorities conducted operations across 58 locations in Phnom Penh and 16 provinces, including Kandal, Preah Sihanouk, Kampong Speu, Banteay Meanchey, Kratie, Pursat, Kampot, Koh Kong, Oddar Meanchey, Stung Treng, Mondulkiri, Pailin, Takeo, Svay Rieng, Siem Reap and Tbong Khmum.
In the course of the raids, 3,075 suspects (606 of them female) were arrested, including 1,028 Chinese, 693 Vietnamese, 366 Indonesians, 105 Indians, 101 Bangladeshis, 82 Thais, 57 Koreans, 81 Pakistanis, 13 Nepalese, four Malaysians, and others from the Philippines, Laos, Cameroon, Nigeria, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Mongolia, Russia and Myanmar, according to a report from the Secretariat of the Ad Hoc Committee to Combat Online Scams.
The latest operation took place on July 22, in Phsar Doeum Thkov village in the capital's Chamkarmon district, with 127 arrests of four different nationalities.
Authorities also 'rescued' 153 Vietnamese citizens in Pursat province. It was not made clear how victims were distinguished from suspects. Among the evidence seized were Chinese police uniforms, firearms, narcotics, computers and phones.
In Phnom Penh, 11 ringleaders have been sent to court, with eight detained in custody. Seventeen Chinese nationals have been transferred to a deportation facility in Preah Sihanouk, and many other foreigners are now awaiting deportation.
The secretariat said the increase in operation tempo follows their first meeting with Prime Minister Hun Manet, who chairs the ad hoc committee, on July 15. - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Shaolin Temple abbot investigated for embezzlement and misconduct
BEIJING: Chinese authorities are investigating the abbot of Shaolin Temple, the birthplace of kung fu, over allegations of embezzlement and misconduct. The temple issued a statement on WeChat confirming the probe into Abbot Shi Yongxin, who is accused of misusing funds and violating Buddhist principles. The statement said Shi had 'seriously violated Buddhist precepts,' including allegedly maintaining 'improper relationships' with multiple women. 'Multiple departments are conducting a joint investigation,' the temple added. Shi, often called the 'CEO monk' for expanding Shaolin's global presence through business ventures, has faced similar accusations before. Former monks previously claimed he embezzled money from temple-run companies, owned luxury cars, and fathered children outside monastic rules. China's government tightly controls religious institutions, and misconduct often leads to removal from leadership roles. A related hashtag on Weibo had over 560 million views by Monday morning, reflecting widespread public interest. Shi, 59, became abbot in 1999 and helped establish dozens of companies abroad, though critics accused him of commercialising Buddhism. His last Weibo post read: 'When one's own nature is pure, the pure land is here in the present.' The Shaolin Temple, founded in AD 495, is revered as the cradle of Zen Buddhism and Chinese martial arts. Shi has held prominent roles, including vice-chairman of the Buddhist Association of China and a seat in the National People's Congress. - AFP
The Star
6 hours ago
- The Star
Dog dies after being left in pet shop's drying box
A DOG died after it was inadvertently left inside a pet dryer box for at least an hour by its groomers, China Press reported. On July 21, an employee of the pet shop in Zhangzhou, China's Fujian province, had placed the Border Collie inside the high-heat box to be dried after a bath. The staff member then left the shop. The owner was shocked to receive a call from the shop later that day claiming that Sixty-Six was suffering from heatstroke. By the time she arrived, the six-year-old dog was already dead. Upon pressing, the pet shop admitted that the canine was placed in a dryer box. Local police confirmed that the owner had lodged a police report. Many Internet users criticised the pet shop. 'How would you feel if you were placed inside a box to be dried under high heat?' one netizen wrote. (The above articles are compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with a >, it denotes a separate news item.)
The Sun
20 hours ago
- The Sun
Tibetan singer detained by China for Dalai Lama tribute song
DHARAMSALA: A Tibetan singer and activist has been detained by Chinese authorities, according to the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA). The India-based exile government reported that Tzukte, known as Asang, was arrested in early July after performing a song honouring the Dalai Lama. The CTA, which operates as a government-in-exile without international recognition, condemned the arrest as part of China's 'broader campaign to suppress Tibetan voices, especially artists and writers.' China maintains strict control over Tibet, which it considers an inseparable part of its territory. Asang, a student of the well-known Tibetan singer Gebe, had previously drawn attention for publicly displaying the word 'Tibet' on his forehead in Sichuan province. The act gained online support but also increased official scrutiny. 'His detention, without charge or information on his whereabouts, violates international human rights norms and underscores China's ongoing assault on freedom of expression, cultural rights, and religious belief in Tibet,' the CTA stated. Chinese authorities have not commented on the arrest. Rights groups have long criticised Beijing's policies in Tibet, accusing it of erasing cultural and religious identity. – AFP
