Japan says its nationals detained in Cambodia in joint battle on fraud
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TOKYO – Cambodian authorities said they have detained some Japanese nationals in a joint effort to crack down on fraud centres in Cambodia, a Japanese government spokesman said on May 29.
Criminal gangs have trafficked hundreds of thousands of people to scam centres in parts of South-east Asia to help generate billions of dollars in illicit revenues each year, the UN says.
Japan is looking into the numbers and whereabouts of those detained, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told a regular press conference.
“We are in the process of confirming details such as exactly how many people were detained, and where and how they were detained,” he said.
“We’ll respond appropriately while continuing to work with local authorities.”
On May 28, citing people affiliated with the Cambodian government, the Kyodo news agency said about 30 people believed to be Japanese and suspected of involvement in fraud were taken to Phnom Penh the day before following detention in the north-western city of Poipet.
Scammers often reach out to victims on social media and messaging applications to build online relationships before luring them into making fraudulent investments. REUTERS
