Phnom penh: A total of 136 scam suspects have been apprehended by a joint team of South Korean and Cambodian investigators in the Southeast Asian nation since its launch in November last year, police said Wednesday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the joint team is dedicated to handling crimes involving South Koreans in Cambodia and has also rescued four victims who had been abducted and held in criminal complexes in the country. The initiative was established following the public outcry over the torture death of a Korean college student in Cambodia in August, who allegedly fell victim to a job scam.
The team consists of seven South Korean police officers and 19 Cambodian officers. Since its inception, the team has carried out eight operations to apprehend South Korean scam suspects, working in coordination with the National Intelligence Service and diplomatic authorities.
Last Friday, a group of 73 South Koreans detained in Cambodia over alleged involvement in online scams was returned home to face investigation. Most of the suspects in this group were apprehended by the joint police team.