Sihanoukville: 15 Chinese nationals are due to appear in court after Friday night’s raid on the Xihao Ying Casino, located in Village 4 along Ochheuteal Beach in Sihanoukville. Shots were fired at police when they approached the building but no-one was injured.

The crackdown was led by the Commander of the Sihanoukville Gendarmerie, Brigadier-General Heng Bunty, in cooperation with the Sihanoukville Provincial Prosecutor’s Office’s Seang Sok. At least seven illegal firearms were confiscated and at least one Chinese national, believed to be a hostage of the criminal gang, was freed.

It is understood the raid was launched on the instructions of the Royal Government in response to numerous reports about the so-called “China Project”, which stands accused of sex trafficking, online gambling, phishing and extortion.

Further raids on criminal gangs in the Sihanoukville area are reportedly planned after the Chinese Embassy in Phnom Penh issued a warning to its nationals in Cambodia earlier this week that they would face the full extent of the law if they were involved in illegal activities in the kingdom.