Cambodia Deports Over 3,000 Bangladeshis in Nine-Month Cyber Scam Crackdown

Cambodia deported more than 3,000 Bangladeshi nationals between January and September 2026 during operations targeting online fraud, according to a report by the country’s General Department of Immigration.

Law enforcement agencies in Cambodia conducted 3,104 operations during the nine-month period, detaining and deporting 52,039 citizens from 87 countries, Cambodia-based BTV News Global reported on Monday, citing the immigration department.

The number of deportations was 41,685 higher than in the corresponding period of 2025, the report said.

Chinese nationals accounted for the largest number of deportees, at nearly 23,000. They were followed by more than 8,000 Indonesians, over 4,000 Vietnamese and more than 3,000 Bangladeshis.

Cambodia also deported more than 2,500 Pakistani nationals, nearly 2,000 Myanmar nationals and over 1,500 Thai nationals, according to the report.

More than 18,000 deportees from 38 countries were identified as being directly involved in online fraudulent activities. The report did not provide a separate breakdown showing how many Bangladeshi nationals were involved in cyber scams and how many may have been victims of human trafficking forced into such activities.

Anirban Survivor Voice Foundation, which works to rescue and protect victims of human trafficking, said it was necessary to independently verify how many deported Bangladeshis had been victims of trafficking and coerced criminal activities.

The organisation said all deported Bangladeshis should not be labelled as accused persons or participants in online fraud without proper verification. It called for trafficking victims among them to be identified, recognised as victims and provided necessary state protection.