Police raided the Atrium building yesterday morning. Several pickup trucks rolled up early, and local officers rushed inside looking all business. People stood around on the street sipping their coffee and watching the commotion, knowing full well it was another bust targeting online scam operations.
According to local media, police acted on a tip-off that foreigners were holed up on the upper floors running pig-butchering scams behind closed doors. With delivery drivers making eight trips a day and all sorts of people coming and going, nobody guessed what was really going on inside.
Neighbors stood shaking their heads under the shade of the trees. Over the last few years, these compounds in Sihanoukville have changed hands time and time again—keeping a low profile when the heat is on, only to pop right back up once things blow over. Motorbike exhaust hung heavy in the heat, but life goes on as usual, with everyone just hoping this place can finally catch a break.
