AKP Phnom Penh, April 07, 2026 --

Cambodia’s authorities in all 25 provinces and municipality must rigorously enforce a new law against technological fraud to restore the nation’s honour, a senior minister said on Monday.

Senior Minister H.E. Santepundit Chhay Sinarith, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Commission for Combating Online Scams (CCOS), issued the directive during a law dissemination meeting. He urged capital-provincial administrations, relevant authorities and law enforcement bodies nationwide to implement the legislation responsibly.

“The goal is to completely eradicate online fraud offences from Cambodia and ensure this transnational crime does not return to the country,” H.E. Santepundit Chhay Sinarith told approximately 400 participants, including representatives from ministries, government agencies and local officials who joined via Zoom.

The meeting was held to deepen understanding of the new law among the unified command committees of all 25 provinces and municipality, facilitating effective enforcement.

The law, which consists of five chapters and 24 articles, was signed into force on April 6 by Acting Head of State Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen. It creates five new criminal offences to ensure enforcement effectiveness: technological fraud; organising or leading a technological fraud centre; recruiting or training others to commit technological fraud; maliciously collecting identity documents or personal information of others; and establishing special forms of money laundering.

Offenders face penalties including up to life imprisonment, fines of up to 1 billion Riel (about US$250,000), and asset seizure.

H.E. Santepundit Chhay Sinarith emphasised that the seventh-mandate government has made combating technological fraud a top priority, demanding that all law enforcement operators act thoroughly, rigorously and transparently, with zero tolerance.

He also encouraged capital-provincial authorities to work closely with judicial police and technology units to crack down on offenses in a timely manner. Law enforcement officials must understand new criminal tactics, including the use of AI, fraud via Telegram and fake investment schemes.

Local authorities are also required to raise public awareness about the risks and dangers of technological scams and social media fraud, educating citizens to remain vigilant when using digital tools in daily life to avoid falling victim to deception.

Cambodia is among the leading countries in the region and the world to have enacted such a law, reflecting the government’s firm and unwavering commitment to fighting technological fraud, the senior minister added.

During the meeting, a representative from the Ministry of Justice presented the law’s key provisions, followed by a question-and-answer session that allowed participants to deepen their understanding of the new legislation.

By K. Rithy Reak