KATHMANDU: A total of 51 Nepali nationals who had been taken to Cambodia and forced to work in illegal online scam center and casinos have been rescued and returned to Nepal.
According to the Embassy of Nepal in Bangkok, the individuals had reached Cambodia through different channels after being lured by various people with promises of employment. They were later found working in online fraud operations and other illegal activities, while some were also staying in the country without valid passports.
The rescue was carried out with the initiative of the Nepali embassy in Bangkok and with the support of the Cambodian government. The repatriation process was facilitated by the Non-Resident Nepali Association Cambodia.
The embassy said efforts are ongoing to bring back other Nepalis stranded or living in difficult conditions in Cambodia. It added that many Nepalis have been involved in illegal online fraud operations or have been staying in the country without passports or beyond the validity of their travel documents.
The embassy has urged Nepali nationals staying illegally in Cambodia to contact the Nepali embassy in Bangkok or representatives of the Non-Resident Nepali Association Cambodia for assistance in returning home.
Victims have reported that their passports were often confiscated by the companies operating the scam centres or lost while being transferred between different centres.
In such cases, the embassy said it has been issuing free one-way travel permits to facilitate their rescue and return to Nepal.
Tourism statistics from Cambodia show a sharp rise in the number of Nepalis traveling to the country on visit visas. The number increased from 101 in 2021 to 1,977 in 2022, 2,940 in 2023, 6,404 in 2024, and 9,676 in 2025.
The embassy has also urged Nepalis to go abroad for employment only after obtaining proper labour approval from the Government of Nepal and to avoid traveling to countries such as Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand on visit visas in the hope of quick earnings.
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