Phnom Penh, March 30 : The National Assembly of Cambodia on Monday passed a draft law on combating online scams, which will deliver up to 30 years or life imprisonment to scam bosses.

A total of 112 lawmakers in attendance unanimously approved the draft bill.

According to the bill, online scam bosses will face between 15 and 30 years or life imprisonment if their operations lead to one or many deaths.

Ringleaders of online scam centres will face between five and 10 years in prison and a fine of up to 1 billion riels ($250,000), and they will face between 10 and 20 years in jail and a fine of up to 2 billion riels ($500,000) if their operations are found to involve violence, torture, illegal confinement, human trafficking, or forced labor.

Online scammers will be imprisoned between two and five years with a fine of up to 500 million riels ($125,000).

Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister Koeut Rith said Cambodia was one of many countries in the region that criminals had used to operate online scams.

"This crime has not only seriously affected public security and order, but also badly damaged Cambodia's reputation and image on the international stage," he told the parliament.

Koeut Rith said the law would "enhance the effectiveness of the fight against online scams, aiming at safeguarding security and public order as well as enhancing the effectiveness of cooperation in combating online scams."

The draft bill will need to be finally reviewed by the Senate before being submitted to King Norodom Sihamoni for promulgation.

The kingdom has launched an unprecedented nationwide crackdown on cyber scam networks to maintain social security, safety, and public order, and to restore the kingdom's image on the international stage, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Southeast Asian country is committed to eradicating all online scam centres by April this year.

Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sar Sokha said in February that Cambodia had deported more than 30,000 suspected foreign scammers, as over 210,000 others had voluntarily left the kingdom after operations against online scams had intensified since June 2025.

/IANS