Phnom penh: Police arrested 55 foreign nationals from seven countries in a coordinated raid targeting a tech scam and drug trafficking operation at a condominium on Tuesday, authorities said.

According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, the April 21 operation at the Zhuoyufeng Condominium in Khan Meanchey of Sangkat Stung Meanchey 3 was ordered by Phnom Penh Governor H.E. Khuong Sreng and Municipal Police Chief Lt. Gen. Chuon Narin. The raid was supervised by deputy prosecutors Seng Heang and Theng Samnang, as reported by the Secretariat of the Commission for Combating Online Scams (CCOS).

Among the detainees, 44 individuals lacked valid passports or had expired visas. Eleven Vietnamese nationals, including three women, were directly involved in online fraud activities. Authorities seized 14 laptops, six mobile phones, and approximately 10 kilogrammes of mixed narcotics during the operation.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the syndicate targeted victims in Vietnam. The group allegedly used a fake website to solicit money for 'VIP memberships' on a shopping platform, promising high returns to lure unsuspecting victims.

All suspects and evidence have been transferred to the Phnom Penh Municipal Police Headquarters, where they will face legal proceedings.

The raid came shortly after Cambodia's Law on Combating Technology-Enabled Scams took effect on April 7, 2026. This law, signed by Acting Head of State Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, consists of five chapters and 24 articles. It criminalises online fraud, operating or leading scam centres, recruiting for cybercrime, malicious collection of identification documents, and specialised money laundering. Offenders under this law face penalties of up to life imprisonment, fines of up to 1 billion Riel (about US$250,000), and permanent asset forfeiture.