Cambodia has emerged as a hub for crime syndicates running fake romantic relationship and cryptocurrency investment schemes in which scammers, some willing, others trafficked, defraud internet users around the world.
But under pressure from several countries including China, which has called for the complete eradication of the scam centers, Cambodian authorities say they are cracking down on the industry.
Liu Ren, president of the Anhui Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia, is seen at a local police station prior to his deportation to China. Photo by police
China's Ministry of Public Security (MPS) published a video on Wednesday showing a man it identified as Liu Ren in handcuffs as security forces lifted a black bag off his head, after he had been escorted off a China Southern plane.
"Recently, with the strong support of relevant Cambodian authorities, a task force dispatched by the Ministry of Public Security successfully extradited Liu Ren -- a key member of the Chen Zhi criminal syndicate -- back to China from Phnom Penh," the ministry said in a statement.
