Background
The General Department of Immigration administers deportation procedures for foreign nationals found to be involved in online fraud or to be staying or working without authorization in Cambodia.
On 26 May 2026, Cambodian immigration authorities expelled 173 Chinese nationals connected to online scams, including six women, via a special flight processed through Phnom Penh’s international airport exit police post.
Immigration actions of this type involve coordination between immigration investigators and foreign diplomatic missions to verify identities and arrange repatriation logistics. Deportation operations are executed under the direction of senior interior ministry leadership and rely on airport exit-control processes and police posts to complete removal procedures.
Key Developments
GDI reported that the group comprised 173 Chinese nationals linked to technology-enabled fraud and cases of illegal stay and unauthorized work. Authorities coordinated with the Chinese embassy to continue deportation processing and to facilitate repatriation by special flight.
Enforcement Actions
The removals were carried out through airport exit-control channels where immigration and police units processed travel documentation and departure formalities. The statement from immigration authorities identified online scam involvement and unlawful residence or employment as the grounds for expulsion.
Institutional Role
The General Department of Immigration is the primary agency responsible for implementing removal decisions and managing operational cooperation with law enforcement and foreign missions in repatriation cases. The department also stated that its operations aim to disrupt cross-border elements of technology-enabled criminality and to assist victims who were recruited into illicit activities so they can return to their home country.
