Cambodia Deports a Record Number of Foreign Nationals as Crime Crackdown Intensifies
Cambodia took one of its strongest law enforcement actions in recent years by deporting more than 13,500 foreigners in 2025 after they were found guilty of committing a wide range of crimes, according to data released by the General Department of Immigration, marking a sharp increase of 7,705 people or 56.83 percent compared to 2024 and highlighting how authorities are stepping up efforts to restore safety and order across the country as illegal immigration, online scams and cross border crime continue to rise, with the figures revealed at the GDI annual conference that reviewed 2025 achievements and laid out priorities for 2026 which focus on tougher border control and more aggressive crime prevention strategies.
Thousands of Crime Cases Expose the Scale of Transnational Activity
The scope of the crackdown was significant as immigration officers investigated 5,011 cases and arrested 8,984 individuals linked to criminal activity, with GDI Director General Lieutenant General Sok Veasna confirming that 13,557 foreign nationals from 66 countries were eventually deported after authorities determined they had broken Cambodian law, ranging from illegal entry and overstaying to illegally working and even entering into unlawful marriages, a pattern that shows how organized crime networks and immigration violations often overlap and place pressure on national security and public trust.
Chinese Vietnamese and Indonesian Nationals Top the List
The nationality breakdown reveals where most of these cases originated, with Chinese nationals accounting for 4,806 deportations followed by 3,456 Vietnamese and 1,476 Indonesians, while other countries also recorded substantial numbers including Pakistan with 963, Thailand with 534, Chinese Taipei with 383 and India with 345, alongside smaller but notable figures from Myanmar, Bangladesh, the Philippines and South Korea, reflecting how Cambodia has become a regional target for illegal work and online fraud operations that pull in people from across Asia and beyond.
Global Cooperation Supports Repatriation Efforts
Beyond Southeast Asia, the deportation list extended across the globe with individuals from Malaysia, Japan, Libya, Nepal, Nigeria, the United States, Britain, Russia and more than 42 other countries, and Lt Gen Veasna highlighted that the process was made possible through close coordination with foreign embassies that helped ensure their citizens were properly returned, reinforcing how international cooperation is now a critical part of Cambodia’s approach to tackling cross border crime.
A Decade of Enforcement Shows Long Term Commitment
Looking at the broader picture, the scale of enforcement becomes even more striking, as Lt Gen Veasna told the conference at the Ministry of Interior that “From 2014 to November 30, 2025, a total of 47,134 illegal foreign nationals from 112 countries or nationalities were deported,” a statistic that underscores how Cambodia has been steadily strengthening its immigration and security systems over more than a decade to address both local and international threats.
Rescuing Victims of Online Crime Adds a Human Dimension
The crackdown was not only about arrests and deportations, as authorities also rescued 2,169 foreigners from 25 nationalities in 2025, most of them Vietnamese, Chinese, Indonesian and Filipino, after responding to 940 online complaints, showing that behind the numbers are real people often trapped in illegal online operations and that law enforcement is increasingly working to protect victims while dismantling criminal networks.
Conclusion
Cambodia’s record breaking deportations in 2025 send a clear message that the country is serious about confronting illegal immigration, online fraud and transnational crime, and with rising regional cooperation, stronger enforcement and a focus on both security and victim protection, the government is positioning itself to create a safer and more transparent environment for citizens, investors and visitors alike.