China used two civilian aircraft, chartered by the country’s police force, to repatriate on Sunday from Cambodia a total of 135 of its nationals, suspected of involvement in either gambling or scams.
China’s Xinhua News Agency reported that day, citing China’s Ministry of Public Security, that the suspects were flown to Wuhan in Hubei province, central China.
The news outlet said the flights marked the end of an operation this year – involving cooperation between the Chinese and Cambodian police – that had seen the dispatch to China during April and in batches, of more than 680 people suspected of activities relating to gambling or “swindling”.
The Ministry of Public Security had “vowed to maintain high pressure on such crimes, while also reminding the public to be more vigilant,” stated Xinhua.
The news agency reported, citing China’s police, that this year the force had repatriated “tens of thousands” of gambling and scam suspects from countries including Myanmar, the Philippines, and the United Arab Emirates.
In recent years, China has established a number of bilateral and multilateral agreements with Southeast Asian nations to boost cooperation in combatting cross-border illegal activities, including online gambling.
A bilateral agreement between China and Cambodia was announced in November 2022.
In September last year, what was termed an action plan to tackle regional criminal activity associated with gambling was announced by officials from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) – a club of countries including Cambodia – with China as a partner to the agreement.
