Cyber Scam Operation Dismantled, 215 Rescued in Major Thai, Cambodian Police Raid

• Online scam center workers were rescued in a Thai and Cambodian police joint operation. 
• A raid targeting a building in Cambodia resulted in the freeing of 215 individuals of various nationalities.
• Among the people lured with fake job promises, there were over 100 Thai nationals.

Authorities in Thailand and Cambodia freed 215 people during a raid on a suspected cyber scam center. The Sunday operation targeted a three-story building in the border town of Poipet, located in Cambodia's Banteay Meanchey province.

This coordinated effort rescued individuals from multiple nations, including 109 Thai nationals, 50 Pakistanis, 48 Indians, five Taiwanese, and three Indonesians, according to Thai government spokesman Jirayu Houngsub. 

"This is the largest number of Thais freed from a building suspected of cyber fraud for the two countries," Houngsub noted, cited by Reuters.

Cyber scam centers have become a growing concern across Southeast Asia. Criminal organizations have trafficked hundreds of thousands of people, coercing them into working for such operations. 

The United Nations estimates these scams generate billions of dollars annually. A 2023 U.N. report brought renewed attention to the scale and global implications of these activities.

Sunday's raid was part of a broader crackdown in the region. Thai and Cambodian authorities have intensified joint actions in recent months, aiming to clamp down on cyber scams and human trafficking networks.

These operations face heightened scrutiny following high-profile cases, including the abduction of Chinese actor Wang Xing. Xing was lured to Thailand under false job promises, only to be taken to a scam center in Myanmar. This incident, publicized internationally, has spotlighted the prevalence of forced labor in cyber scams.

Earlier this month, Thailand took measures to disrupt supply chains linked to scam centers along the border with Myanmar by cutting power, fuel, and internet access to targeted areas. Separately, the Chinese government recently repatriated 621 citizens rescued from scam operations.

While scam centers have operated for years, their increasingly sophisticated structures and widespread human exploitation have compelled regional governments to take stronger action. 

By enhancing cross-border collaboration and enacting direct interventions, authorities aim to dismantle the networks facilitating these schemes and help survivors regain their freedom.