More than 150 Chinese nationals were deported from Cambodia last week due to a range of alleged gambling-related crimes in Sihanoukville and Bavet, including kidnapping and online fraud.
According to separate media reports in both countries, the suspects were expelled by the Ministry of Interior’s Immigration Department on two specially chartered planes following a joint investigation between police in Cambodia and China’s Chongqing Municipality.
Chinese state media agency Xinhua reported over the weekend that authorities had been made aware in April that victims were being lured to gaming websites in Cambodia via a dating site, with a number said to have transferred large sums of money only to find their accounts locked. Police said more than 10,000 victims from 28 Chinese provincial regions were caught up in the scam, losing around US$14 million in the process.
Cambodian media added that the 150 people arrested and deported included 12 women.
The case comes just two weeks after Cambodia’s Prime Minister announced that the country will stop issuing online gaming licenses and won’t renew current licenses when they expire.
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