Policies and Patterns: State-Abetted Transnational Crime in Cambodia as a Global Security Threat

Transnational organized cybercrime is now the world’s fastest growing and “most dangerous illegal industry.” Rivaled only by Myanmar, Cambodia is likely the absolute global epicenter of next-gen transnational fraud in 2025 and is certainly the country most primed for explosive growth going forward. Without denying the regionally interconnected nature of the industry, this study focuses on the particularly important case of Cambodia. Drawing on relevant scholarly, policy, and popular literature and open source data—as well as in-depth interviews and supporting evidence gathered from over 50 experts, diplomats, academics, journalists, and civil society actors—the analysis is guided by three core questions:

- What key factors drive the emergence and persistence of trafficking and transnational cybercrime in Cambodia?

- What barriers impede effective countermeasures?

- And what policy measures are needed to combat the status quo in this particular context?

‍