Hundreds of Nepali nationals remain trapped inside cyber fraud compounds in Cambodia, despite ongoing crackdowns by authorities, according to officials and accounts from victims.

The Nepali embassy in Thailand, which also oversees Cambodia, has formally requested the Cambodian government to waive overstay fines for 277 Nepalis and facilitate their return home. In addition, around 100 Nepalis have recently been detained by Cambodian authorities and placed in shelters following a raid on a scam centre in the capital on Thursday.

According to the embassy, those detained during police raids have begun contacting officials, but complete details are still emerging. Nepalis are reportedly held in multiple locations.

“We have not yet received full details of how many are in each location,” said Moti Bahadur Shrestha, deputy chief of mission at the embassy, speaking to Kantipur.

The embassy said it has not yet established formal communication with Cambodian authorities regarding the latest arrests due to a public holiday. Still, it confirmed that it remains in contact with the detainees. Shrestha said that once individuals are taken into police custody, the process of repatriation typically becomes easier.

Victims who managed to contact Kantipur described conditions inside the compounds as highly restrictive and coercive, with many saying they were forced into online fraud operations after being deceived by recruiters.

One Nepali, detained during Thursday’s raid, said more than 60 Nepalis were being held within a single compound. “There was gunfire during the raid. We did not run. We surrendered ourselves,” he said over the phone. “We were brought to a shelter afterwards. We need to be rescued immediately. We are innocent. Hundreds of Nepalis are trapped here, and many have tried to escape.”

Several victims said they had been lured to Cambodia with promises of employment as security guards or bodyguards, only to find themselves forced to work in scam operations. Many reported paying large sums of money, often between Rs800,000 and Rs1 million, to intermediaries—frequently fellow Nepalis—who facilitated their travel.

“People working here inform Chinese operators, who are constantly looking for workers,” said another victim. “They say there is a job as a security guard or bodyguard and ask for around Rs800,000. We paid the money and came.”

Victims said they were brought to Cambodia on tourist visas and handed over to different groups upon arrival. “One group brings us here, another puts us to work,” the same victim said. “Some of the managers are Nepalis.”

According to the victims, recruiters do not disclose the true nature of the work beforehand. “They do not tell you that this is a scam centre or that there are risks,” one said. “They promise a one-year visa and safe work. We were previously moved from one location to another whenever there were police raids.”

Another victim said that once inside the compounds, workers are effectively cut off from the outside world. “It is a completely different world inside. Our passports are taken away. Once you enter, there is no chance of getting out,” he said. “There are Cambodian guards at the gates. If you are caught outside without documents, it costs a lot of money. You cannot leave, and you cannot stay willingly either.”

He added that even requesting the return of a passport is futile. “I asked for my passport just two days after entering, but they refused,” he said.

Interviews with five victims indicate that those recruited as security guards are typically paid between Rs800,000 and Rs1 million to reach Cambodia. They said the money is often shared among networks of Nepali intermediaries.

“They take money collectively. The salary is between 800 and 1,000 dollars, and food is provided inside,” said one victim. “But it is like a prison. We were forced to work like hostages. They kept telling us the work visa process was ongoing, but in reality, no work visa was issued.”

Victims also said that some Nepalis already working in the compounds knowingly recruit others for financial gain. “They use us as bait to earn money,” one said. “It actually costs around Rs200,000 to come here, but they charged us Rs800,000.”

Another said those involved in recruitment are themselves working within the compounds. “The ones who call you are also trapped inside, but they cooperate with the operators to earn commissions,” he said.

Victims stressed that the trafficking networks rely heavily on Nepali intermediaries. “If Nepalis stop bringing others, no one will come,” one said. “We were told we would work as casino security guards. I thought it would be like my previous job in Dubai.”

Some victims were assigned roles within the scam operations themselves. One individual involved in online fraud described a structured process used to target victims.

“In the first stage, we build relationships online,” he said. “We share personal interests and create trust. Then we talk about finances and investments. The operators have hundreds of fake accounts. They invite people to invest by showing fabricated success stories.”

Once a target is persuaded to invest, they are directed to fraudulent platforms controlled by the operators. “Chinese ‘mentors’ guide the process,” he said. “If we fail to bring in money, we are beaten.”

All the victims said they had travelled through Indian airports to reach Cambodia. They described the compounds as large, heavily guarded facilities, sometimes spread across areas equivalent to several hectares, surrounded by walls and barbed wire.

“Once inside, there is no way out,” one victim said. “Even a small mistake can put your life at risk. Nepalis do not dare to escape.”

Cambodia has increasingly been identified as a major hub for online scam operations, second only to Myanmar in the region. A June 2025 investigation by Amnesty International documented 53 scam compounds across 16 cities in Cambodia, linking them to human trafficking, forced labour, child labour, unlawful detention and acts amounting to modern slavery.

The report said that despite periodic crackdowns, authorities had failed to address the crisis effectively and suggested a pattern of “passive complicity” in ongoing human rights abuses.

According to the United States Institute of Peace, cyber fraud operations in Cambodia generate more than 12.5 billion US dollars annually—nearly half of the country’s gross domestic product. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, however, recently rejected claims that the economy depends on the scam industry.

Under increasing pressure from China and the US, Cambodian authorities have intensified enforcement efforts. The government said it has shut down around 200 scam compounds and arrested 172 key organisers and accomplices since June.

Data from the country’s Commission for Combating Online Scams show that by early February, more than 110,095 foreign nationals from six countries had been deported, while another 210,000 foreigners left Cambodia voluntarily.

The government has pledged to eliminate online scam operations by April, although victims and observers remain sceptical.

The Nepali embassy in Bangkok said it is currently collecting data on affected nationals through online forms and is considering sending a team to Cambodia if the number of cases increases.

“Once police have taken them into custody, it becomes easier to send them back,” Shrestha said. “However, they need to arrange their travel tickets on their own.”

According to embassy officials, 15 Nepalis are currently in Cambodian prisons facing charges including murder and hostage-taking.

Victims say the situation will not improve without strict action against recruitment networks. “As long as Nepalis keep bringing others here, this will continue,” one said.