Cambodian police have rescued 215 foreigners, 109 of them Thais, from a scam compound in Poipet city following stepped-up collaboration to combat scam gangs between Thailand and Cambodia.
The operation followed Friday’s urgent meeting between Pol Gen Thatchai Pitaneelaboot, the Royal Thai Police inspector-general, and Cambodian high-ranking police officers to discuss operational plans to eradicate call centre scam gangs.
On Saturday, Cambodian police raided a three-storey building in Banteay Meanchey province, opposite Sa Kaeo's Aranyaprathet district, on a tip-off that Chinese scammers were renting the building to operate online scams and gambling businesses.
Intelligence reports from Thai authorities indicated that Thai nationals were among those duped into working for the gang in this building, Government spokesman Jirayu Huangsub said on Sunday.
The land and building reportedly belong to a high-ranking government official in Banteay Meanchey province.
The 215 foreign nationals include 109 Thais (54 of them women), 50 Pakistanis, 48 Indians, five Taiwanese and three Indonesians. Cambodian police are questioning them and recording their personal data.
Mr Jirayu said the 109 Thais would undergo a screening process to determine whether they were victims or accomplices.
According to security intelligence sources, Saturday’s operation marked the highest number of victims rescued from a scam compound for both Thailand and Cambodia, and the crackdown operation will continue.
Meanwhile, a total of 621 Chinese nationals trafficked into Myanmar to work for scam gangs were rescued and repatriated to China from Mae Sot airport in Tak province between 20 and 22 Feb.
