In the latest campaign to suppress illegal gambling, Kampong Speu provincial authorities have arrested 18 individuals, including three Chinese nationals and 15 Cambodian citizens. Meanwhile, the National Police apprehended four individuals for promoting gambling on social media.

The Kampong Speu raid took place on January 1 in Prey Kuy Village, in Samrong Tong district’s Trapeang Kong commune.

The operation led to the arrest of the Chinese ringleader and seventeen staff members, the majority of them women. The staff members included two Chinese nationals, according to the Kampong Speu Provincial Gendarmerie.

Authorities seized seven card tables, two fish-shooting game machines and various gambling-related paraphernalia, including chips. The suspects and the evidence were sent to the Provincial Gendarmerie Command for further legal proceedings.

In a separate case, the National Police arrested four individuals in Phnom Penh’s Dangkor district on December 25 for promoting gambling, in direct violation of directives from the Ministry of Interior. Police spokesperson Chea Pov announced the arrests during a December 31 press conference.

Pov noted that the four suspects represented different groups and had each admitted to engaging in promotional activities for gambling, which is prohibited in Cambodia. 

He reiterated that law enforcement authorities will continue to crack down on gambling promotions and will investigate social media pages that are involved in such activities.

“An inter-ministerial task force will conduct operations across all provinces and municipalities where gambling promotions persist,” he said.

“If someone posts on social media, we will take action immediately. If they do not remove their promotional content, we will strictly enforce the law. This serves as a warning to all business operators who are defiant and do not comply with official orders. We will not tolerate nor compromise,” he added.