As many as 51 Nepali nationals who were trafficked to Cambodia under various forms of deception and forced into illegal online scam operations and casino-linked fraud activities have been rescued and repatriated with the coordination of the Nepali Embassy in Bangkok and the Cambodian government.

According to a statement issued by the embassy, the group was flown out of Cambodia on Tuesday and landed at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu on Wednesday with facilitation from the Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA), Cambodia.

The embassy said the individuals had been employed in illegal online scam centres or were overstaying without valid visas. It added that efforts are ongoing to rescue and repatriate other Nepalis who remain stranded or in difficult conditions in Cambodia.

Authorities have received reports that Nepali citizens in Cambodia are being exploited in online fraud networks and other unlawful activities, with many having their passports confiscated by employers or losing them while being transferred between locations.

In such cases, the embassy said it provides a free one-way travel permit to facilitate return to Nepal. Detailed procedures have been made available on its official website.

The embassy also highlighted a sharp rise in Nepali arrivals in Cambodia in recent years, citing tourism data with 101 in 2021, 1,977 in 2022, 2,940 in 2023, 6,404 in 2024, and 9,676 in 2025.

It urged Nepali citizens to travel abroad for employment only after obtaining official labour approval, warning against falling for promises of quick and high earnings through visit visas, particularly to countries such as Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand.