Cambodian authorities have stepped up their crackdown on illegal online gambling and scam operations across key spots in Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville. Joint task forces from the Ministry of Interior and local police recently swept directly into several suspected compounds, detaining over a hundred foreign nationals. Officials said many of those rounded up were caught without valid passports or had been overstaying their visas. Anyone lacking legal documentation is now being processed for deportation.
While inspections have happened in past years, this latest wave of enforcement feels noticeably sharper and more frequent. Outside the compound gates, where crowds of motodops and tuk-tuks usually swarm around sunset to pick up workers, the streets have turned quiet over the last couple of days. Local vendors selling fried noodles and grilled meat skewers are already feeling the pinch, complaining that nighttime trade has completely dried up. The young compound workers who used to spill out after late shifts to eat, smoke, and hang out are nowhere to be found.
Police patrols are noticeably more active on the streets. Sitting at a roadside stall over an iced coffee, it is not uncommon to see officers dropping in to check documents nearby. Among local residents, the shift brings mixed feelings. Many are glad to see better security, noting that riding a motorbike home late at night feels less risky when you do not have to constantly watch your mirror for followers. At the same time, landlords renting out rooms and small food vendors whose livelihoods depended on the compound crowd are left worrying about how they will survive the drop in business. For foreigners living and working in the country, the takeaway is simple: keep your visa status and paperwork strictly in order.
