Cambodia arrests nearly 3,000 in online scam crackdown　

Law enforcement across 15 provinces and the capital conducted have coordinated raids on 52 online scam locations, arresting 2,767 suspects, including 843 Chinese nationals.

Eleven key suspects have been referred to court for legal proceedings.

Thousands of suspects have been arrested and key evidence seized in a nationwide crackdown on online scam networks, launched under the directive of Prime Minister Hun Manet.

But as the operations stretch across provinces, the continued absence of identified masterminds in the dragnet is casting doubt on whether the effort is truly dismantling the core of the criminal enterprises.

The large-scale crackdown, which unfolded over several days, targeted suspected scam compounds and digital fraud networks, many of which are believed to be tied to transnational crime groups.

The crackdown's effectiveness has come under scrutiny, as none of the masterminds behind these scams have been apprehended.

Interior Ministry spokesman Touch Sokhak acknowledged the ongoing difficulty in pinpointing the masterminds behind online scam operations, saying that one of the major challenges lies in the deceptive tactics the criminals employ.

He said many of them operate under the guise of legitimate-looking companies, such as investment firms or tech businesses, making it extremely difficult for authorities to immediately identify them as perpetrators of cybercrime.