SHENZHEN — Cambodian authorities have raided two buildings in Phnom Penh's Prince Plaza Centre, which is linked to extradited Chinese billionaire Chen Zhi, and detained 104 individuals, including 82 Chinese nationals, local media reported.
Te move comes as governments around the world have intensified their crackdown on an alleged multibillion-dollar online scam empire since Chen's arrest.
The raid, a joint operation by Phnom Penh police, the country's Commission for Combating Technology-Based Scams (CCTC), local government and representatives from the prosecutor's office, took place on Saturday, the Phnom Penh Post said.
The detained individuals were of six nationalities and are accused of running online scam operations or illegal residency.
The police also confiscated 800 mobile phones, more than 100 computers and other materials, the report said.
"Based on preliminary forensics, the suspects utilised the locations to carry out technology-based fraud by luring people both inside and outside the country into fake investment schemes," the CCTC was quoted as saying.
US law firm Boies Schiller Flexner LLP, which the Prince Group previously listed on its website as the group's legal representative, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Chen, the founder of Prince Holding Group, was arrested with two associates and transferred to China in January at the request of Chinese authorities after months of law enforcement cooperation from both countries.
China's Ministry of Public Security said at the time that Chen was accused of various crimes, including opening a casino, fraud, illegal operations and concealing criminal proceeds. The case is being processed, and Chinese authorities have not made public announcements about any progress since.
Last month, Li Xiong, a core member of Chen's criminal syndicate, was also extradited back to China, Xinhua said, adding that he previously served as chairman of Huione Group, a subsidiary of the Prince Group.
Chen's conglomerate spans more than 30 countries and includes a range of interests, from real estate to financial services. In recent months, governments in multiple regions have acted to seize or freeze his assets.
Most recently, a Hong Kong court last week ordered the freezing of properties and assets worth more than HK$9 billion (US$1.15 billion) held by Chen and companies and individuals tied to him, including a commercial building in Tsim Sha Tsui valued at HK$3 billion and a luxury mansion on The Peak worth HK$1 billion.
Chen has also been sanctioned by Britain and the United States. In October, the US Department of the Treasury designated the Prince Group network as a "transnational criminal organisation".
China has been pushing for more cooperation with Southeast Asian countries to crack down on telecoms fraud. In November, Chinese police said more than 5,500 suspects were repatriated to China after a coordinated crackdown on criminal activities in the Myawaddy region of Myanmar by China, Myanmar and Thailand.
