Bangkok: A major crackdown on cyber fraud operations in Southeast Asia led to the rescue of 215 foreigners, including 50 Pakistanis, as Thai and Cambodian police raided a scam centre in Poipet, a Cambodian border town in Banteay Meanchey province.

A Growing Cyber Scam Industry

The United Nations has raised concerns over the increasing number of people trafficked by criminal syndicates and forced to work in cyber scam operations. A 2023 UN report estimated that these operations generate billions of dollars annually, making them one of the fastest-growing illicit industries in the region.

Joint Efforts to Combat Scam Centres

During the Sunday raid, officials freed 109 Thais, 50 Pakistanis, 48 Indians, 5 Taiwanese, and 3 Indonesians. According to Thai government spokesman Jirayu Houngsub, this was the largest rescue operation involving Thais in a suspected cyber fraud building.

The raid is part of a joint effort by Thailand and Cambodia to tackle cyber scam centres, which have exploited thousands of victims worldwide.

A Wake-Up Call for Southeast Asia

Scam centres in the region have gained global attention following the rescue of Chinese actor Wang Xing, who was lured to Thailand under false job promises and later abducted to a scam centre in Myanmar.

As a result, Southeast Asian nations have intensified their crackdown on scam operations. Recent actions along the Thai-Myanmar border included:
✅ Cutting power, fuel, and internet to areas suspected of housing scam centres.
✅ China repatriating 621 Chinese nationals rescued from scam centres over the past few days.
✅ Thailand and Cambodia conducting multiple joint raids to dismantle these illegal setups.

Human Trafficking and Cybercrime – A Global Issue

The rise of forced labour in scam centres highlights the dangers of job scams targeting desperate job seekers. Many victims are lured with false job offers, only to be held against their will and forced into illegal online scams.

With international attention increasing, regional governments must act swiftly to eliminate these operations and protect innocent victims from being trapped in a vicious cycle of cyber exploitation.