Background
The General Department of Immigration (GDI) enforces Cambodia’s border-control, visa and deportation procedures as part of the Ministry of Interior’s remit for migration management and border security. Between 1 and 10 June 2026, immigration authorities carried out deportation operations following recommendations from the Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Ministry leadership.
The GDI reported that a total of 2,278 foreign nationals representing 28 nationalities were expelled from Cambodia during the operation. Deportations addressed a range of violations including online scams, illegal border crossings, forged travel documents, absence of travel papers, financial fraud, use of counterfeit QR-code identification, unauthorized work and other criminal offenses.
Key Developments
The operation removed nationals from 28 countries, citing examples such as Nigeria, Cameroon, Bangladesh, Nepal, Kenya, Uganda, the Philippines, Taiwan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Ghana, Myanmar, South Korea, Russia, China, Vietnam, Sudan, the Central African Republic, Liberia, Togo, Japan, Brazil, Rwanda, Namibia, Burundi, Sri Lanka, Turkey and Malawi.
GDI announced that 635 Chinese nationals were linked to online-scam cases and were deported via special flights handled at the Techo International Airport police checkpoint. Separately, 180 Vietnamese nationals connected to online-scam investigations were removed through the Prek Chak international border police post in Kampot province.
Institutional Role
GDI framed the operation as an enforcement implementation of directives from senior government leadership, naming Prime Minister Hun Manet and Deputy Prime Minister Sar Sokha as the guiding authorities for the crackdown. The department cited coordination with airport and border police checkpoints as the operational channels for removals and noted an explicit focus on addressing technology-enabled criminality affecting Cambodia and other countries.
Operational Implications
The removals underline enforcement priorities for migration control in Cambodia, particularly the targeting of online fraud networks and document-related offences. For travelers, migrants and employers, the operation signals active use of airport and land-border checkpoints to detect and remove non-citizens who lack valid travel documents, engage in unauthorized work, or are implicated in online-facilitated crimes.
Source
Primary information provided by the General Department of Immigration via its official social channels and the department’s website: https://www.facebook.com/GDIOfficial/ and www.immigration.gov.kh
