Cambodian police have rescued 215 foreign nationals, including 109 Thais, from a scam compound in Poipet city following a joint operation between Thailand and Cambodia aimed at cracking down on call centre scam gangs.
The operation was launched after an urgent meeting on Friday between Pol Gen Thatchai Pitaneelaboot, the Royal Thai Police inspector-general, and high-ranking Cambodian police officers to coordinate efforts against the growing network of online scams.
On Saturday, Cambodian authorities raided a three-storey building in Banteay Meanchey province, located opposite Thailand's Aranyaprathet district, based on intelligence reports. The building, reportedly owned by a high-ranking local government official, was believed to be used by Chinese scammers running online fraud and gambling operations.
Among the 215 people rescued were 109 Thais (54 of them women), along with 50 Pakistanis, 48 Indians, five Taiwanese, and three Indonesians. Cambodian police are currently questioning the victims and recording their personal information.
The 109 Thai nationals will undergo a screening process to determine whether they were victims or involved as accomplices. This operation is the largest of its kind in both Thailand and Cambodia, marking a significant step in the ongoing crackdown on scam operations in the region.
The joint operation comes just days after 621 Chinese nationals were repatriated from Myanmar, where they had been trafficked and forced to work for scam gangs. These individuals were rescued and flown back to China from Mae Sot airport in Thailand between February 20 and 22.
Authorities from both countries have pledged to continue their collaborative efforts to tackle the growing threat of international scam syndicates operating in the region.
Source: Bangkok Post
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
