Fake Australian, Chinese and Brazilian police stations: BBC goes inside a seized scam compound
Fake Police Stations Exposed in Cambodian Border Compound
Inside the shadowy corridors of a six-story building hidden behind the Royal Hill casino, a labyrinth of counterfeit spaces reveals a startling truth. One room mimics a Vietnamese bank, while another houses a meticulously crafted Australian police station. A Chinese officer’s uniform hangs in a corner, and walls are adorned with motivational slogans, including a Chinese sign reading “Money Coming From Everywhere.” Discarded fake hundred-dollar bills litter the floor, remnants of a sprawling scam operation located just beyond the Cambodian border in the town of O Smach.
Thai Bombing Unveils Scam Empire
The compound fell silent after Royal Hill was struck by Thai air strikes during a brief border conflict in December. The attack, justified by the Thais as a response to Cambodian drones launched from the casino, left workers scrambling. They abandoned the site with uneaten bowls of noodles and half-drunk cans of Coke, leaving behind a pungent haze and shattered windows. The Thai military invited journalists to the ruins, aiming to showcase the scale of Cambodia’s scam industry and bolster their case for continued air operations.
The Tycoons Behind the Fraud
Cambodia’s elite tycoons, including Ly Yong Phat, amassed wealth through land deals post-1991 civil war, leveraging ties to the ruling Hun clan. While Phat has faced US and international sanctions for alleged human trafficking and online fraud, his counterpart at Royal Hill, Lim Heng, remains less visible. Despite not appearing on sanction lists, Lim Heng shares the honor of Neak Oknha, a title bestowed by Hun Sen requiring a $500,000 donation. His connection to Pol Pot’s cremation site, near a northern border casino, adds an eerie layer to the compound’s story.
“Money Coming From Everywhere”
Shift from Gambling to Scamming
Once thriving as a hub for online gambling, the industry faced a turning point in 2019 when Hun Sen banned cross-border betting under Chinese pressure. The pandemic then disrupted travel, forcing syndicates to pivot to scams. Workers from global regions were lured with promises of clerical roles or tech jobs, only to discover grueling conditions. Documents found in the rubble of Royal Hill detail severe penalties: five cane strokes for failing to secure a victim by day’s end, and ten for three days of no progress.
While the Cambodian government has criticized the Thai occupation, both sides agree to maintain forces at their pre-war positions under the ceasefire. The Royal Hill compound, once a secretive operation, now stands as a testament to the scale of fraud and the complex alliances fueling it. Its empty halls, pockmarked by shrapnel, echo the desperation of those who once filled them with deception.
