Cambodian authorities have significantly intensified nationwide efforts to combat crime, narcotics, human trafficking, gambling, youth gangs and online scams, with tens of thousands of arrests recorded between 2023 and the first half of 2026.
The figures, presented by Touch Sokhak, spokesman for the Ministry of Interior, on Monday, highlight the scale of law enforcement operations carried out under the government’s Pentagonal Strategy, Phase 1, led by Prime Minister Hun Manet. The campaign has involved the National Police, municipal and provincial police commissariats and other relevant institutions working together through combined personnel, resources and enforcement measures.
“The figures reflect a broad law enforcement campaign, but the evolving nature of crime, particularly crimes enabled by technology, is creating new challenges that require stronger capabilities, public cooperation and confidence in the rule of law.”
Nearly 15,000 criminal cases lead to more than 16,600 arrests
From 2023 through the first half of 2026, authorities under the Ministry of Interior handled nearly 15,000 general criminal cases and arrested more than 16,600 people. During the same period, more than 34,000 drug related cases were processed, resulting in nearly 87,400 arrests.
Authorities seized more than 26 tonnes of drugs during anti narcotics operations. The seized drugs were destroyed by burning in accordance with the law. Sokhak also said nearly 7,000 people arrested in connection with general criminal cases tested positive for drugs, highlighting the close relationship between substance abuse and wider criminal activity.
The government’s figures demonstrate the breadth of law enforcement operations across Cambodia. Authorities have continued to combine enforcement with public education, while seeking to strengthen their expertise, legal knowledge, resources and technological capabilities to prevent crime and reassure the public.
Trafficking and gambling remain major enforcement targets
Authorities investigated more than 480 commercial sex trafficking cases during the period, arresting around 600 people and rescuing nearly 1,300 victims. In addition, nearly 250 human trafficking cases were investigated, leading to 380 arrests and the rescue of more than 1,300 victims.
Gambling operations were another major focus. Authorities shut down 3,600 gambling operations and arrested around 7,700 people. Of those arrested, more than 2,400 were sent to court for legal action, while more than 5,300 faced administrative measures, including education, guidance and written undertakings, before being released under the supervision of guarantors.
Authorities also investigated more than 2,000 economic crime cases and arrested 440 people. The enforcement figures underline the government’s focus on maintaining public order while addressing criminal activity that can affect communities, businesses and the broader economy.
Youth gangs remain a concern for public safety
Youth gang activity was another significant area of enforcement. Sokhak said authorities investigated more than 4,500 cases and arrested nearly 14,200 people. More than 7,600 of those arrested were sent to court when their activities constituted criminal offences.
Nearly 6,600 youth offenders instead faced administrative measures, including education and written undertakings. Their parents or guardians were required to take responsibility for them before they were permitted to return home.
Sokhak described these offences as common crimes affecting everyday social life. He said security and public order had been maintained through law enforcement operations alongside public education campaigns. He also stressed that authorities were continuing to improve their capabilities, expertise, legal knowledge and technological capacity to prevent crime and strengthen public reassurance.
Security is closely linked to Cambodia’s economic and social development
Sokhak said political and social stability, particularly the maintenance of security, is fundamental to protecting human rights, supporting socio economic development and promoting sustainable development.
He urged members of the public and journalists to cooperate with authorities by reporting illegal activities so relevant agencies can intervene. Greater participation across society, he said, would make law enforcement more effective and contribute to reducing crime.
Sokhak also highlighted the role of national leadership and public participation in maintaining security, saying security had been preserved under the leadership of former Prime Minister Hun Sen, relevant leaders and institutions, and with the participation of the Cambodian people.
For businesses, investors and tourists, the issue extends beyond crime statistics. Public perceptions of safety can influence confidence in travelling, operating businesses, attracting investment and participating in economic activity. Maintaining public order therefore remains an important part of Cambodia’s wider development environment.
Technology is changing the nature of crime
Seun Sam, a policy analyst at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said the figures demonstrate the authorities’ efforts to combat crime but warned that criminal activity is evolving alongside technology.
He said criminals are increasingly looking for opportunities to exploit new technologies to deceive victims. This means authorities need stronger technological capabilities to monitor, investigate and respond to emerging forms of crime.
“If criminals use modern methods while authorities continue relying on outdated methods, efforts to combat crime will not keep pace,” he said, adding that improving technological capacity is essential to responding to changing forms of crime.
Sam also pointed to everyday public safety. He said people may feel unsafe travelling on roads at night if they encounter gangs, drunk drivers or other risks.
“These issues are directly related to security and social order,” he said, adding that security should not be measured solely by the absence of war, but also by whether people feel safe in their daily lives.
He said strengthening security and social order requires authorities at all levels to take a firm approach while respecting the law.
Public trust will remain critical to effective enforcement
Sam also stressed the importance of public confidence in law enforcement institutions. He said trust should be built through transparent, fair and consistent enforcement rather than reliance on any single institution.
He warned that inappropriate conduct, abuse of authority or forcing citizens to make payments could undermine public trust. At the same time, the growing use of mobile phones and social media means law enforcement activities are increasingly subject to public scrutiny, as citizens can record incidents and share them online.
Sam called on authorities at all levels and other stakeholders to prioritise the national interest, social security and the wider public rather than personal or family interests. He added that applying the law equally and fairly is essential to strengthening security and increasing public confidence in law enforcement institutions.
For Cambodia’s business and investment environment, this public confidence matters. Effective enforcement must not only address criminal activity but also reinforce the perception that rules are applied consistently and that citizens, businesses and visitors can operate within a secure and predictable environment.
Authorities intensify campaign against online scam compounds
The crackdown has also expanded significantly into transnational cybercrime. Senior Minister Chhay Sinarith, Head of the Secretariat of the Commission for Combating Online Scams (CCOS), said during a diplomatic briefing on August 27 that authorities had dismantled 86 online scam compounds and apprehended more than 29,000 suspects from 39 nationalities.
According to the CCOS, as of August 20, authorities had raided more than 793 suspected locations and taken action against 624 scam operations. The scale of the campaign reflects the growing importance of online fraud as a security issue extending beyond Cambodia’s borders.
More than 22,000 people from 38 countries have been deported, while deportation proceedings for other suspects remain ongoing. A total of 408 cases have been referred to court, while investigations into other suspects and efforts to recover illicit assets continue.
The campaign against online scams adds another dimension to Cambodia’s broader crime prevention efforts. As criminal networks increasingly use technology and operate across borders, law enforcement agencies face growing pressure to combine traditional policing with digital investigation, international cooperation and stronger technological expertise.
A broader test for Cambodia’s security and development ambitions
Cambodia’s latest enforcement figures show the scale of the government’s efforts to tackle a wide range of criminal activities, from drugs, trafficking and gambling to youth gangs, economic crime and sophisticated online scams.
At the same time, the comments from Seun Sam point to a challenge that extends beyond the number of arrests. As technology changes the way criminals operate, effective enforcement will increasingly depend on modern investigative capabilities, professional conduct, public cooperation and trust in institutions.
For Cambodia, maintaining security is not only a law enforcement priority. It is also closely connected to the country’s social stability, tourism appeal, investment environment and long term economic development. The effectiveness of the crackdown will ultimately be measured not only by cases dismantled and suspects arrested, but also by whether people feel safer and more confident in their daily lives.
The continuing campaign against both traditional and technology enabled crime therefore represents an important test of Cambodia’s ability to strengthen public security while supporting a stable environment for citizens, businesses, investors and visitors.