Phnom penh: Senior officials from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have praised the Royal Government of Cambodia for its intensified campaign against online scams, highlighting a significant endorsement of the Kingdom's efforts to dismantle transnational criminal networks.
According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, in a high-level meeting on Wednesday, Mr. Scott Schelble, Deputy Assistant Director of the FBI's International Operations Division, met with H.E. Santepundit Chhay Sinarith, Senior Minister and Head of the Secretariat of the Commission for Combating Online Scams (CCOS). The discussion focused on the "tangible results" achieved under the CCOS mechanism - a specialised body chaired by Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet.
Mr. Schelble noted that recent enforcement actions send a clear signal that Cambodia is not a sanctuary for cyber-fraud syndicates. "Cyber-enabled fraud is a complex, global crisis affecting many nations; it is not a challenge unique to Cambodia," Mr. Schelble remarked, emphasizing the necessity of robust international cooperation and reaffirming the FBI's commitment to strengthening its partnership with the CCOS.
For his part, Senior Minister Santepundit Chhay Sinarith emphasized that the Royal Government remains steadfast in its mission, despite regional challenges. He outlined a strategy focused on total neutralisation, which includes expanding investigations to target the root of criminal networks, tracking and seizing illicit financial flows that sustain these syndicates, and implementing the strictest legal measures to deter future operations.
The meeting concluded with a commitment to enhance technical cooperation, with both parties discussing a roadmap for future collaboration aimed at bolstering the capacity of Cambodian law enforcement.