Amnesty International reported Monday that Cambodia’s high-profile crackdown on cyber-scam compounds has failed to dismantle most operations and has left trafficking victims without meaningful protection, raising concerns about state accountability and enforcement efforts.

In the new report, Amnesty documented evidence from 73 survivors originating from 16 countries who were allegedly subjected to human trafficking, forced labor, torture and sexual violence inside scam compounds. The organization found that more than 70 percent of the 86 compounds it identified appeared to have avoided government intervention despite authorities’ claims that hundreds of scam centers had been shut down.

Several survivors described instances in which compound managers received advance warning of police raids, allowing operators to relocate victims before authorities arrived. Some trafficking victims were treated as immigration offenders rather than recognized as victims of human trafficking, contrary to Cambodia’s obligations under international law.

These findings build upon earlier investigations, which concluded that scam compounds across Cambodia were sites of widespread slavery, human trafficking and torture, and that some facilities operated with apparent official acquiescence. In April, Amnesty reported that Cambodian regulators approved casino-linked businesses connected to properties where human rights abuses had been documented, despite the government’s ongoing anti-scam campaign.

The Cambodian government has rejected these conclusions, arguing that authorities have conducted extensive enforcement operations, arrests and deportations targeting criminal networks. Government officials accused Amnesty of overlooking the scale of the crackdown and misrepresenting state efforts to combat cyber-enabled fraud.

The reports come amid growing international scrutiny of Southeast Asia’s cyber scam industry, which has generated billions of dollars through online fraud schemes and has been linked to transnational criminal organizations operating throughout Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos.

Enforcement of anti-scam initiatives will likely require significant cooperation among governments across the region. However, the cross-border collaboration necessary to dismantle criminal networks may be complicated by ongoing tensions between Cambodia and its neighboring countries. Efforts to address scam compounds and strengthen border security are closely linked, requiring cooperative dialog from all sides to address challenges effectively.