Background
The Ministry of Interior’s Department of Criminal Police coordinates criminal investigations into serious fraud and transnational organized crime in Cambodia. Provincial police units carry out arrests and transfer suspects to the national criminal police for centralized questioning under national criminal procedure.
Provincial operational units in Sihanoukville respond to complaints of violent extortion and collaborate with specialised teams from the Department of Criminal Police when cases indicate cross-border involvement or organised groups. Investigative procedures commonly include victim interviews, on-site vehicle and location searches, identification of suspect travel patterns, and coordinated custody transfers to central authorities for further questioning.
Key Developments
- May 9, 2026, 00:30 — A male Chinese national identified as Tang Caiyou filed an allegation that an unknown group forced him to surrender USD 12,000 and 81,000 USDT.
- May 11, 2026 — The victim submitted a formal complaint to the Department of Criminal Police in Sihanoukville.
- Investigators located an abandoned vehicle at Phum 1, Sangkat 3, Sihanoukville and established that the suspects subsequently used a Toyota Prius taxi.
- May 14, 2026, 19:00 — Investigators invited the taxi owner who had driven the Toyota Prius for clarification.
- May 15, 2026 — Specialist officers from the Department of Criminal Police, in cooperation with Sihanoukville provincial police, detained eight suspects for questioning. The detainees include both Chinese and Myanmar nationals and were transferred to the Department of Criminal Police for interrogation.
Institutional Role
The Department of Criminal Police leads centralised inquiries when alleged crimes involve foreign nationals or across-province movements; provincial police implement immediate response actions and evidence collection on the ground. Custody and questioning of suspects are managed by the national criminal police once provincial units transfer detainees under established procedural channels.
Operational Implications
The operation in Sihanoukville demonstrates a typical investigative sequence: complaint intake, on-site searches, identification of vehicles and routes, targeted interviews with transport operators, and subsequent coordinated arrests. The case file includes the victim’s statement, the location of the abandoned vehicle, and a list of eight detained suspects forwarded to the Department of Criminal Police for follow-up.
Suspects Detained (as reported)
- HUANG WENJING, male, 31, Chinese
- YAW BAY NAR, male, 26, Myanmar
- CHIT PO PO, male, 24, Myanmar
- SAI MWAN KHAY, male, 22, Myanmar
- LI YANG, male, 34, Chinese
- LONG XIAOHUI, male, 33, Chinese
- CHEN XIAOQIANG, male, 36, Chinese
Source
Statement posted by the National Police of Cambodia; original notice and timeline available from the source URL provided by the Department of National Police.
