"Crackdowns for Show in Response to International Pressure"
UN: "Serious Collusion Between Government and Political Circles"
As online criminal organizations are rampant in Southeast Asia, there are growing criticisms that Cambodia is allowing these groups to operate unchecked amid widespread corruption. Local ruling elites are accused of colluding with criminal organizations, either turning a blind eye to crackdowns or actively protecting them.
On the 16th, the local media outlet Cambodia Daily reported on the Cambodian government’s nationwide crackdown on online fraud organizations that took place in July. The outlet introduced the response from civil society, which argued that these actions were intended more to avoid international criticism than to address the root causes.
Social commentator Bon Chanruth claimed on social media, "The government has conducted similar crackdowns in the past whenever international pressure mounted," adding that these measures aim to protect high-ranking officials suspected of being involved in criminal activities.
He mentioned figures such as Ly Yong Phat, a senator from the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) and businessman, Kok An, and Hun To, the nephew of former Prime Minister Hun Sen, noting that although they have been identified as being connected to transnational criminal organizations, they continue to wield influence and operate freely in Cambodia.
Ly Yong Phat, known as a close aide and personal advisor to former Prime Minister Hun Sen, has operated casinos and hotels. In December of last year, the U.S. Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions, stating that a company owned by Ly Yong Phat abused laborers trafficked for forced labor and engaged in online fraud.
The governments of the United States and the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on October 14 against Prince Group, Chairman Chen Zhi, and Huiyuan Group in relation to Cambodia's online fraud activities.
The scene of the 'Mango Complex,' known as a crime zone near Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on the 16th (local time). Photo by Yonhap News
It has also been reported that Prince Group operated the "Taiza Complex," a crime-ridden area near Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where foreigners, including South Koreans, were detained and forced to participate in scams such as voice phishing.
Kok An, known as a close associate of former Prime Minister Hun Sen, is subject to an arrest warrant issued by a Thai court on charges of online fraud and money laundering. According to the Thai media outlet The Nation, in July, the Thai police cyber investigation unit revealed that massive proceeds from online crime were funneled into Cambodia’s Huiyuan Group, which is reportedly linked to the Hun Sen family.
The Hun Sen family has wielded absolute power in Cambodia. After ruling Cambodia for 38 years, Hun Sen handed over the prime ministership to his eldest son Hun Manet in 2023 and became President of the Senate, the second-highest protocol position after the king. In addition to Hun Manet, many members of the Hun Sen family hold senior government positions.
The United Nations and human rights organizations have warned that criminal organizations from across Southeast Asia are rapidly proliferating within this corrupt power structure.
Previously, the human rights group Amnesty International stated in a report dated June 26 that it had identified 53 large-scale scam operations in Cambodia, criticizing the Cambodian government for allowing these facilities to flourish.
Agn?s Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International, criticized, "Survivors who were deceived, trafficked, and enslaved in scam operations say they feel trapped in a living nightmare, having been brought to criminal organizations that seem to operate with the Cambodian government’s permission."
In a statement released in May, the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) pointed out that "criminal organizations are reportedly operating with impunity in Cambodia’s pervasive atmosphere of corruption," and that these groups "are profiting through collusion with government officials, politicians, local authorities, and powerful business figures."
The Cambodian government has countered international criticism, arguing that it is not standing idle, citing the formation of a task force led by Prime Minister Hun Manet in January, and claiming that the Amnesty International report is exaggerated. The government has also launched large-scale crackdowns in response.
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