Scam centres ‘destroying’ Cambodia’s economy, PM tells AFP

A clampdown has resulted in thousands of arrests, but critics have questioned its authenticity. Read more at straitstimes.com.

BRUSSELS - Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet said on Feb 25 that scam centres were destroying his country’s economy and giving the nation a bad name – pushing back on allegations of government connivance.

The nation has emerged as a hotspot for crime syndicates running a multibillion-dollar fraud industry that sees scammers lure internet users globally into fake romantic relationships and cryptocurrency investments.

“The scam network, what we call the black economy, is destroying our honest economy. It has put a bad reputation on Cambodia,” Mr Hun Manet told AFP, in a rare interview with international media, saying this was harming tourism and investment.

“This is the reason why we need to clean this out.”

A clampdown has resulted in thousands of arrests, according to government officials, and the recent extradition to China of a former adviser to Cambodia’s leaders.

But some industry experts have questioned the authenticity of such efforts, pointing to alleged links between Cambodian officials and cyberscam networks.