Has Cambodia really cut cybercrime by half?

"The Southeast Asian country has grown into a global hub for digital scammers in recent years. Experts estimate the criminals' profits to be in billions of dollars, with the industry targeting victims all over the world. Also, hundreds of thousands of people have been trafficked into scam centers under false pretenses, according to the UN."

"Both China and the United States have demanded action and taken steps of their own to combat the problem. Late last year, the US and the UK imposed sanctions against one of Cambodia's largest conglomerates while US prosecutors moved to seize a vast trove of cryptocurrency linked to its founder, Chen Zhi, a naturalized Cambodian."

"On March 5, Prime Minister Hun Manet outlined a new law intended to 'permanently' wipe out cyberscam operations, under which property owners, landlords, building lessors and recruiters would be held legally responsible for any links to scam operations."

Cambodia has become a global hub for digital scammers, with criminal profits estimated in billions of dollars targeting victims worldwide. Hundreds of thousands of people have been trafficked into scam centers under false pretenses and forced to work in slave-like conditions. International pressure from China and the United States has intensified, leading to sanctions against major conglomerates and cryptocurrency seizures. Cambodian authorities report cutting scam compound activity by half since the year's start, with over 210,000 suspected foreign scammers voluntarily leaving since June and 30,000 foreign nationals arrested and deported. Prime Minister Hun Manet introduced new legislation to permanently eliminate cyberscam operations, holding property owners, landlords, and recruiters legally responsible for scam-related links.

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