Phnom penh: The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Cambodia's intensifying efforts to dismantle sophisticated cyber-scam networks and their links to transnational organised crime.
According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, in a high-level meeting on Wednesday, Dr. Rebecca Miller, UNODC Regional Coordinator for Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling, met with H.E. Santepundit Chhay Sinarith, Senior Minister in Charge of Special Missions and Head of the Secretariat of the Commission for Combating Online Scams (CCOS).
Senior Minister Sinarith emphasised the gravity of the "interconnected" nature of modern cybercrime. He noted that digital fraud operations are frequently intertwined with human trafficking, forced labour, torture, and drug offenses-crimes that represent a severe violation of human rights and global security. "The Royal Government of Cambodia remains deeply committed to these issues, implementing rigorous measures to prevent and suppress all forms of transnational crime," he said.
The Minister called for enhanced international intelligence sharing to identify and prosecute the masterminds behind these criminal syndicates, stressing that collaborative research is essential to bringing organised crime leaders to justice.
In response, Dr. Miller praised the Royal Government of Cambodia's proactive measures in "clearing out" cyber-scam hubs. "The UNODC fully supports cooperation with the Royal Government in this fight," he stated, adding that "no single country can solve this problem without a robust framework for international cooperation."
The meeting concluded with a roadmap for future collaboration, focusing on: Specialised training for Cambodian law enforcement; Expanding outreach to prevent citizens from falling victim to digital scams; Strengthening the investigation of cross-border criminal networks.