Cambodian authorities have asked Interpol to issue Red Notices for two people accused of leading online scam operations, while prosecutions tied to raids on large fraud compounds continue in court and the government broadens cooperation with foreign law-enforcement partners.

The judicial steps were presented during a two-day press tour that ended on September 22 at the Phnom Penh Municipal Police headquarters. The tour included visits to previously targeted scam sites in Prey Veng, Svay Rieng and Kandal provinces.

Ministry of Information spokesperson Tep Asnarith, who led the group, said 75 journalists from 42 local and foreign outlets took part, including representatives of 23 international organizations. He said the media were allowed direct access to sites and officials involved in the campaign against technology-enabled fraud.

According to government materials distributed during the tour, a court has issued arrest warrants for Qiu Ren Wu and John Riskin, both linked to the Jin Zi Hui Property Management compound in Kandal. Qiu Ren Wu is named as the registered owner, while John Riskin is described as his representative.

The same materials say the owner and staff had already left before inspectors arrived. The compound, in Prek Sueng village of Sampov Poun town, has been sealed. It reportedly contained 55 buildings, 113 villas and 4,707 rooms.

Investigators seized thousands of electronic devices, including 3,779 computers, 11,585 mobile phones, 56 computer processing units and 35 servers, along with passports and other equipment. Eight foreign police uniforms were also found. Journalists were shown AI-generated scam scripts and handwritten notes left behind by suspects who fled.

Cases involving impersonation and foreign victims

Phnom Penh police separately briefed reporters on investigations into suspects who allegedly posed as police officers, customs officials and other government figures. Tep Asnarith said foreign journalists were especially interested in cases involving Japanese, European and American nationals and in the methods used by scammers to impersonate authorities.

He said police provided detailed explanations of practical measures used to suppress such crimes and bring cases to court, adding that matters already before the judiciary were being handled through strict legal procedures.

Officials also outlined cooperation with the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, Interpol, China and other law-enforcement agencies. That cooperation is described as essential for sharing intelligence, identifying suspects and tracking transnational networks that can spread organizers, workers, infrastructure and victims across borders.

Tep Asnarith said the authorities wanted to show their commitment to eliminating transnational online scam operations from Phnom Penh while supporting the wider national campaign.

Actions at other compounds

Legal proceedings have also been launched against suspects tied to two other compounds visited by the media.

At the Golden Galaxy Casino in Bavet city, Svay Rieng province, authorities arrested the registered owner and two alleged organizers during an April 7 operation. They were identified as owner Hong Seung GI and tenants Le Van Nguyen and Nguyen Van Vinh, who are said to have held senior roles in scam operations. All three are being held before trial at Svay Rieng Provincial Prison.

Government materials said 244 people were detained at the site: 182 Vietnamese, 49 Chinese, nine South Koreans and four Cambodians. Women accounted for 63 of those held. People subject to immigration procedures were transferred to the General Department of Immigration, and the compound was sealed. Investigators seized 151 computers, 505 mobile phones, passports, SIM cards and other documents.

In Prey Veng, authorities dismantled the Legend Innovation compound, also known as 8 Park or Meun Chey Commercial City, in February. The government described the property as a subsidiary of Prince Group and named Brandon Luo and Lin He Jiang as registered owners, with Eang Sok Lim as their representative.

Eang Sok Lim, 39, has been identified as an alleged ringleader and is being held before trial at PJ Prison in Phnom Penh. Authorities seized computers, servers, mobile phones, SIM cards, passports, work permits and other documents from the site.

A provincial unified command reportedly began the operation in early February and had broken up the alleged scam network by mid-month. An investigating judge carried out a search on April 3, after which the premises were fully sealed.

Media tour before international conference

Tep Asnarith said the tour was designed to demonstrate what the government considers its political commitment, enforcement tools and practical steps against online scams. He said it was also meant to communicate to domestic and international audiences that Cambodia is working to remove scam operations from the country and contribute to a global response.

The tour took place just before the International Conference on Combating Online Scams, scheduled for September 23 and 24 in Phnom Penh under the theme Acting Together towards Breaking the Chain and Eradication of Online Scams.

Prime Minister Hun Manet is expected to deliver the keynote address at the opening. Representatives from several ASEAN countries, the ASEAN Secretariat, Interpol, the FBI, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime and other organizations are listed as participants in a programme released on September 21.

The two-day meeting will treat online scams as a global emergency and discuss regional and international responses, technology-based prevention, cyber resilience, and national progress and challenges. The conference is scheduled to end with adoption of an outcome document on September 24.