Background
Immigration enforcement in Cambodia includes border control, stay compliance, investigation of immigration violations, and removal of foreign nationals who are not legally permitted to remain in the country. Within Cambodia’s immigration system, the General Department of Immigration operates under the Ministry of Interior and manages border control, stay compliance, and removal procedures for foreign nationals.
Online scam cases involving foreign nationals have become an immigration and law-enforcement issue because such cases may involve illegal entry, unauthorized stay, cross-border movement, and coordination with foreign diplomatic authorities. Immigration removal is a state procedure used to expel foreign nationals who are found to have violated entry, stay, or security-related requirements.
The General Department of Immigration reported that the deportation was conducted under the direction of Ministry of Interior leadership and in cooperation with the Chinese Embassy. The case links immigration enforcement with Cambodia’s broader effort to address technology-enabled crime and to return affected foreign nationals to their country of origin where applicable.
Key Developments
The General Department of Immigration said that 153 Chinese nationals, including 8 women, were deported from Cambodia during the night of 29 April into 30 April 2026. The department stated that the individuals were linked to online scam cases, illegal stay, and illegal border crossing.
According to the official notice, the deportation was carried out through a special aircraft at the police checkpoint of Siem Reap Angkor International Airport. The GDI said its Investigation and Procedure Enforcement Department coordinated the removal process with the Chinese Embassy.
Institutional Role
The action was implemented by the General Department of Immigration under the Ministry of Interior. The official notice identified Lieutenant General Sok Veasna, Director General of Immigration, as having instructed the relevant department to continue the deportation procedure in cooperation with Chinese authorities.
The Ministry of Interior’s role in this type of case is administrative and enforcement-oriented: it supervises immigration procedures, supports removal operations, and coordinates with relevant foreign missions when foreign nationals are returned. The GDI notice also connected the deportation to government efforts to suppress technology-related crime in Cambodia.
Operational Implications
The use of a special aircraft indicates that the deportation was organized as a group removal operation rather than an ordinary individual departure process. Group deportations require coordination among immigration officers, airport police, transport operators, and the receiving country’s representatives.
For immigration governance, the case is relevant because it records the number, nationality, alleged conduct, departure point, and intergovernmental coordination involved in the removal. Such details help document how Cambodia applies immigration procedures in cases involving online scams and unlawful stay.
