Late last month, authorities carried out a massive sweep against online scam operations in Koh Kong's Dara Sakor area. Plenty of Chinese nationals got rounded up—even people just walking down the street or out sightseeing weren't spared. Having a valid passport and visa didn't guarantee you'd walk free.
Once you got picked up, officers immediately started demanding money. If you had cash, you could cough up $20,000 to $30,000 to buy your way out. But even paying was no guarantee—some handed over the bribe and were kept in detention anyway. It's as corrupt as it gets.
I didn't have that kind of money, so they hauled me off. The police seized the cash I had on me and took my iPhone. I was held for 20 days. Word was that anyone with passport issues would be sent to Phnom Penh to await deportation. Want your confiscated stuff back? That's going to cost you, too.
Over here, police ask for money right out in the open. It feels like Chinese nationals are treated like a total joke and easy targets. I sincerely urge my fellow countrymen in Cambodia to pack up and leave as soon as possible. Life here is just too hard to endure.
