The Royal Government of Cambodia has requested heads of administrative agencies, police in the capital and provinces nationwide, as well as relevant ministries, departments and agencies at all levels to organize and deploy operations to attack, suppress and completely destroy online fraud rings. (Photo: Huynh Thao/VNA)
In a directive signed by Prime Minister Hun Manet on July 14, which was just announced, the Royal Government of Cambodia requested heads of administrative agencies, police in the capital and provinces nationwide, as well as relevant ministries, departments and agencies at all levels to organize and deploy operations to attack, suppress and completely destroy online fraud rings in their localities and areas of jurisdiction.
Along with that, the Ministry of Interior of this country is preparing to organize and implement procedures to deport foreigners who enter, reside illegally or participate in illegal activities in Cambodia.
This is the latest move demonstrating the determination of the Royal Government of Cambodia in its efforts to prevent and combat high-tech fraud, contributing to maintaining and protecting public security, social order and safety.
Previously, last February, the Royal Government of Cambodia established a specialized committee on preventing and combating high-tech fraud crimes, headed by Prime Minister Hun Manet, with 24 other members, including deputy prime ministers, ministers, leaders of military and police units, and heads of provincial government agencies nationwide.
The Committee is responsible for proposing solutions to prevent and suppress high-tech fraud crimes; guiding, coordinating, supporting and proposing necessary interventions; monitoring, inspecting and evaluating the implementation in practice; and implementing international cooperation activities with relevant countries.
Immediately after the above directive was issued, Cambodian authorities conducted a series of raids and cracked down on locations suspected of high-tech criminal activities.
On July 15, the joint force of the Phnom Penh Municipality, led by Deputy Mayor Hun Surithy, launched a crackdown on an online fraud ring at apartment building number 382, on Duong Nghiep Street, T'rung Moan Hamlet, O Bek K'om Ward, Sen Sok District.
At this 8-story apartment building, the authorities discovered and arrested 3 Chinese subjects, along with a number of exhibits including 47 desktop computers, 19 laptops, 1 iPad, 28 phones and 6 safes...
Previously, on July 14, the joint inspection force led by Mr. Surithy raided a location suspected of being involved in online fraud at Building No. 15, Street 128, Hamlet 6, Phsar Depo 1 Ward, Toul Kork District, downtown Phnom Penh. Through the search, the authorities discovered and arrested more than 200 related subjects, including 85 Cambodians and the rest were foreigners.
According to the investigation agency, these subjects worked as electricians, construction workers, security guards, chefs and kitchen assistants at a security service company.
Last May, the Cambodian Journalists Alliance Association (CamboJA) cited a press release from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) warning that hundreds of thousands of people around the world are being lured and lured through fake job offers and then forced to participate in online scams and detained in the operations of scam gangs in Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, the Philippines and Malaysia.
According to CamboJA, OHCHR issued this warning in a joint statement of the Special Rapporteur on new forms of slavery published on May 10, highlighting the fact that many online scam centers have opened in Cambodia in recent years, especially since 2021.
The operations of these centers are “often disguised as legitimate technology complexes” and are run by “large criminal networks” with permanent staff.
The victims of online fraud are typically young, educated men whose passports are taken away and who are kept in cramped, unsanitary conditions, forced to work long hours under close supervision. Many are believed to be in debt or blackmailing relatives.
“Those who attempt to escape are subjected to severe punishments, including torture, sexual abuse and re-sale to other trafficking networks,” the OHCHR statement said.
Declaring that “the situation has reached the level of a humanitarian and human rights crisis,” UN experts called on the international community, especially countries in Southeast Asia and East Asia, to coordinate and take urgent measures to rescue and protect victims, as well as increase prevention and containment efforts.
The OHCHR statement said the scams were widespread and frequently relocated, with operations centers located in the capital Phnom Penh and other provinces such as Preah Sihanouk, Pailin, Anlong Veng, O'Smach, Kandal, Pursat, Koh Kong, Bavet, Chrey Thom, Kampot, Oddar Meanchey, Poipet, Banteay Meanchey, as well as the Dara Sakor and Thmor Da special economic zones. CamboJA cited a source as saying that at least 350 scam dens were operating in Cambodia, employing an estimated 150,000 foreign workers.
At the conference to announce the national report on human trafficking prevention and control in 2024 and outline the direction of activities in 2025 organized by the Cambodian National Committee against Human Trafficking (NCCT) in late March, Mr. Sar Sokha - Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Interior, Chairman of NCCT also warned about the worrying situation of cross-border crime and human trafficking in Cambodia, and called for efforts to solve and prevent it more effectively.
According to NCCT, the Royal Government of Cambodia has identified the fight against human trafficking as one of its top priorities, along with addressing the impact of drugs, alcohol and traffic accidents in the Southeast Asian country.
In that spirit, Cambodia has proposed a more effective response strategy and implemented many solutions to protect human safety and security, as well as national security and support the country's comprehensive development process./.
According to VNA
Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/campuchia-mo-chien-dich-tran-ap-toi-pham-lua-dao-su-dung-cong-nghe-cao-255011.htm
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