A massive scam was reported in a major crackdown after three fake police stations had been found in Cambodia.
Inside a border town called O Smach, in Cambodia, thousands of people from different countries had been found working under a harsh regime—defrauding thousands of others across the world of their savings.
In December Royal Hill was bombed by the Thai air force during the brief border war between the two countries—the Thais say Cambodian drones were being launched from the casino.
Later the workers fled, and today, the Royal Hill is empty, aside from the Thai soldiers occupying it.
The windows have been shattered by the bombardment, and in places gaping holes have been blown through the walls and roof, coating everything with dust.
In one there is a perfect replica of a Vietnamese bank. In another, you're in an Australian police station.
Moreover, Chinese police officers' belongings are also hanging in another corner of the occupied area.
Whereas motivational messages have also been painted on the walls that read "Money Coming From Everywhere."
As reported by BBC, the Thai military said they wanted the world to see just how big the scam industry had become in Cambodia.
The officials said we need international help in shutting this scourge down, but it also served as a secondary justification for the Thai air attacks on Cambodian targets in December.
Referring to that Cambodian government has protested against the Thai occupation of its territory, but the Thais argue that under their ceasefire both sides have agreed to keep their forces where they were when the fighting stopped.
What is remarkable about Royal Hill is not just its size but the fact that almost nothing was known about it until the Thais took control of it.
The 'O Smach Casino,' a complex across the road, has featured in news reports about fleeing scam workers complaining of abuses.
In 2025 US State Department report on human trafficking accused the government of failing to make significant efforts to eliminate it, never arresting or prosecuting a suspected scam compound operator or owner.
But this year the government abruptly changed tack after sustained pressure from the US, China, and other countries to act against the scams.
Police teams have raided dozens of suspected scam compounds, and Prime Minister Hun Manet announced that the scam industry would be completely shut down by the end of April, saying it was destroying Cambodia's economy and reputation.
Many of the scam compounds now lie empty. The police stated that more than 10,000 foreign workers have been repatriated till now.
