A significant operation by Cambodian police has led to the rescue of 215 foreign nationals, including 109 Thais, from a scam compound in Poipet City. This action was bolstered by enhanced cooperation between Thai and Cambodian authorities aimed at dismantling illicit call center scam operations.
The rescue operation came after an urgent meeting between senior officials from the Royal Thai Police and Cambodian law enforcement to strategize on eradicating scam gangs. On Saturday, authorities raided a three-story building in Banteay Meanchey province, following reports that Chinese scammers were utilizing the facility for online scams and gambling activities.
Information provided by Thai intelligence indicated that numerous Thai nationals had fallen victim to deception and were working within this scam enterprise. It has been reported that the land and building in question are linked to a high-ranking local government official in the province.
The individuals rescued comprised 109 Thais (54 of whom are women), along with 50 Pakistanis, 48 Indians, five Taiwanese, and three Indonesians. Cambodian police are currently conducting interviews and recording the personal information of those rescued.
Officials stated that the 109 Thais will undergo a thorough screening process to determine their roles, whether as victims or accomplices in the scam activities.
This operation represents the largest number of individuals rescued from a scam compound in recent history for both Thailand and Cambodia, signaling a continued commitment to combatting human trafficking and scam operations.
In related developments, authorities announced that from February 20 to February 22, a total of 621 Chinese nationals trafficked to Myanmar for work with scam gangs were also rescued and repatriated to China via Mae Sot airport in Tak province.
