A dramatic exodus unfolded in Cambodia’s coastal city of Sihanoukville this week as hundreds of suspected cyberfraud operators evacuated compounds following the high-profile arrest and extradition of alleged scam kingpin Chen Zhi to China. Witnesses described chaotic scenes with individuals hauling computers, luggage, and personal belongings while boarding various vehicles including tuk-tuks, luxury SUVs, and coaches.
The mass departure from notorious hubs like Amber Casino occurred amid Cambodia’s announced crackdown on multibillion-dollar cybercrime operations that have transformed Sihanoukville into a global scam epicenter. These criminal enterprises typically lure victims worldwide through fake romantic relationships and fraudulent cryptocurrency investments, generating estimated global losses up to $37 billion annually according to UN data.
While Cambodian authorities claim to have raided 118 scam locations and arrested approximately 5,000 people over six months, analysts suggest many operations received advanced warning. Former anti-trafficking NGO head Mark Taylor described ‘preemptive shifting of scam center resources’ as potentially indicating collusion between operators and officials—a strategy that simultaneously boosts government anti-crime credentials while allowing criminal networks to survive and adapt.
The situation reveals complex transnational dimensions with China increasingly pursuing scam figures across Southeast Asia. Many workers at these facilities remain vulnerable—some willing participants but others trafficked foreign nationals coerced into operation under threat of violence. As one Bangladeshi evacuee noted while blending into the departing crowd: ‘This is about survival now.’