Cambodia Raids Major Scam Hub; 36 Indians Among 2,000+ Detained

In one of the largest crackdowns on online fraud syndicates this year, Cambodian authorities raided the Wan Cheng (A7) casino complex in Bavet City on January 31, 2026, detaining 2,044 foreign nationals suspected of involvement in cybercrime operations. Among them were 36 Indian nationals, according to Cambodia’s Ministry of Interior.

The large-scale operation was conducted under the direction of National Police Commissioner General Sar Thet, with nearly 700 specialized officers securing the 22-building compound in Svay Rieng province. Senior leadership included Deputy Commissioners Lt. Gen. Chiv Phally and Lt. Gen. Moeung Sothea, with legal oversight from the Svay Rieng Provincial Court prosecutor.

Bavet, located along Cambodia’s border with Vietnam, has increasingly gained notoriety as a hub for transnational scam networks operating out of casino-linked compounds.

Nationalities of Those Detained: Authorities confirmed the following breakdown

• 1,792 Chinese nationals

• 179 Myanmar nationals

• 177 Vietnamese nationals

• 36 Indian nationals

• 30 Nepalese nationals

• 5 Taiwanese nationals

• 2 Laotian nationals

• 1 Malaysian national

• 1 Mexican national

Officials have not clarified how many detainees will face formal charges versus being identified as potential victims of forced labor—an issue frequently linked to Southeast Asia’s scam compounds.

The operation underscores growing regional coordination against cybercrime networks that exploit jurisdictional gaps, migrant labor, and digital infrastructure to run large-scale fraud operations targeting victims worldwide.