Background
Cambodia has expanded enforcement against online scam networks, illegal online gambling, and other technology-enabled crimes through coordinated action by police, prosecutors, and provincial authorities. Online scam compounds and unauthorized digital gambling operations are treated as public security issues because they can involve foreign nationals, cross-border criminal activity, and the use of communication equipment and digital platforms to target victims.
In Cambodia, criminal investigations involving searches, seizures, and case-building are typically carried out by competent police units with procedural coordination from the prosecution authority. Casino locations and special economic zones have drawn enforcement attention in some cases because physical premises can be used to host online operations that are separate from any lawful hospitality or gaming activity.
Key Developments
According to the National Police of Cambodia, a joint task force led by Lieutenant General Hem Sovath, Deputy Commissioner General of the National Police, conducted an inspection and search at the Shanghai Resort casino company site in Chek village, Samraong commune, Chanthrea district, Svay Rieng province. The operation was carried out with procedural coordination from the deputy prosecutor of the Svay Rieng Provincial Court of First Instance after authorities identified suspected signs of illegal online business activity.
The police statement said the operation was conducted on 1 April 2026 in line with government instructions and Interior Ministry direction. Authorities reported finding 107 foreign nationals, including 26 women, from four nationalities: 67 Chinese nationals, 21 Indonesian nationals, 2 Myanmar nationals, and 17 Vietnamese nationals.
Authorities also reported seizing equipment and materials from the site, including 89 all-in-one desktop computers, 57 laptops, 73 iPads, 1 monitor, 1,421 mobile phones of various brands, 1 printer, and 7 metal cabinets. The figures were attributed to a report from the Anti-Commercial Gambling Crime Department of the National Police.
Based on the search and inspection, police said they concluded that 4 suspects had engaged in illegal online gambling activity through the website identified as BABY SLOT, while 2 other suspects were linked to online fraud conducted through technology systems. The statement said the 4 suspects in the online gambling case were sent for case-building and transfer to the Svay Rieng Provincial Court prosecutor, while the 2 suspects in the online scam case, together with related evidence, were handed to the provincial police authority for further action.
Implications
The operation indicates continued Cambodian enforcement against cyber-enabled crime carried out from fixed premises, including sites associated with casino businesses. It also shows the use of joint operations that combine police investigation, prosecutorial procedure, and evidence seizure in cases involving suspected online gambling and fraud.
For businesses, property operators, and investors, the case underscores the compliance risk attached to premises that may be used for unauthorized digital criminal activity. For security and governance monitoring, the reported detention of a large number of foreign nationals illustrates the cross-border dimension of cybercrime investigations in Cambodia.
Official Source
National Police of Cambodia Facebook post, published 3 April 2026, linking to the official police report: https://police.gov.kh/?p=148903
Related Developments
This topic is part of ongoing policy and enforcement developments related to cybercrime and online fraud in Cambodia, including scam investigations, regulatory responses, and cross-border cooperation.
