US State Department’s 2026 human trafficking report alleges Cambodian government officials complicit in scam center protection

The US State Department has kept Cambodia at the lowest Tier 3 trafficking ranking in its 2026 Trafficking in Persons Report, citing alleged complicity by senior officials in trafficking linked to online scam centers, inadequate victim protection and a failure to prosecute scam center operators for trafficking offences. In a section detailing its latest review of Cambodia’s scam center and trafficking enforcement, the State Department said Cambodia does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so.