Background
On 27 May 2026, Cambodian immigration authorities implemented coordinated removals of foreign nationals linked to technology-enabled fraud. The General Department of Immigration ordered the removal of 310 foreign nationals implicated in online scams, comprising 173 Chinese nationals and 137 Vietnamese nationals.
The removals included 52 women and were executed via a special flight at Techo International Airport and through an international land-border police post. The department said the operation followed high-level instructions from the deputy prime minister and senior leadership of the Ministry of Interior and involved the Directorate of Investigation and procedural enforcement teams.
Key Developments
The General Department of Immigration reported that the 310 removals addressed cases described as online scams, illegal residence, and illegal work. Cambodian authorities recorded that among those removed, 173 were Chinese nationals (including six women) and 137 were Vietnamese nationals (including 46 women).
Institutional Role
The General Department of Immigration directed the Directorate of Investigation to continue procedural enforcement and removals in coordination with border police and airport authorities. The action is presented by officials as part of a broader enforcement effort led by the Ministry of Interior to address technology-facilitated criminality and to repatriate persons identified in those cases.
Operational Implications
Immigration removal of foreign nationals implicated in criminal activity is carried out through coordination among immigration enforcement units, police border posts, and airport authorities. The incident underscores the use of special flights and land-border processing as operational mechanisms for large-scale deportation actions related to cross-border criminal investigations.
