Background
Municipal police frequently coordinate with Phnom Penh administrative command units to inspect urban residential compounds for immigration compliance, verify travel documents, and identify residences operating without required permits. Local mixed teams combine police, administrative officers and representatives of the municipal prosecutor to carry out compound inspections and administrative checks.
Inspections of this type can include document verification of passports and visas and may result in temporary detention of foreigners found to be residing without valid authorization pending handover to municipal police stations for follow-up. Operations may also target premises suspected of facilitating online-scamming activities or operating as unlicensed guesthouses.
Key Developments
On the morning of 12 May 2026, mixed police and municipal administrative teams inspected multiple Borey Phiepob Thmey Koursrov residential compounds in Dangkao district (phums Srei Snom and Koursrov areas and sangkats Prek Kampsae and Rolous). The inspections were coordinated with representatives from the Phnom Penh municipal prosecutor’s office.
At Borey Phiepob Thmey Koursrov III (Rolous sangkat) the team inspected 42 housing units and documented 46 foreign residents who were reported as lawfully resident, including 5 women; the recorded nationalities included citizens of China, Vietnam and South Korea. The inspection identified six male foreign residents (Chinese nationality) alleged to be operating guesthouse accommodations without the required permit; those individuals were taken into temporary custody and handed to Phnom Penh police for technical processing.
At Borey Phiepob Thmey Koursrov I (Srei Snom / Prek Kampsae) the team inspected 40 housing units and recorded 115 foreign residents in total (10 women). Within that total, 46 foreigners (9 women) were reported as legally resident across five nationalities. The teams identified 69 foreign residents (1 woman) staying without authorization across five nationalities; the composition reported included 58 from Bangladesh, 7 from Vietnam (including 1 woman), 2 from China, 1 from Nepal and 1 from Pakistan. Those irregular residents were temporarily detained and transferred to Phnom Penh police stations to continue administrative procedures.
Institutional Role
The inspections were implemented by mixed enforcement teams under orders from senior Phnom Penh police and involved district administrative officials and municipal prosecutor representatives for legal coordination. District immigration police were instructed to verify passports, visas and the legal status of guesthouse operations, while district tax authorities were asked to be notified where relevant.
Compliance Implications
Property managers, guesthouse operators and landlords in Phnom Penh residential compounds should maintain up-to-date records of occupant identity documents and any required operating permits to support compliance with immigration and municipal administrative checks. Foreign residents should ensure valid passports and visas are available for verification during administrative inspections to avoid temporary detention and referral to municipal police.
Source: National Police of Cambodia (press release and social post) — https://police.gov.kh/?p=158507
