KATHMANDU: Three Nepalis trafficked to Cambodia and forced into illegal online scamming centers, casinos, and other illicit activities were rescued and repatriated, the Embassy of Nepal in Bangkok said.

The victims were sent back from Cambodia on Thursday and arrived at Tribhuvan International Airport on Friday with support from the Cambodian government and coordination with the Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) Cambodia.

The embassy said efforts are ongoing to rescue other Nepalis in distress amid rising cases of citizens being lured into online fraud operations and staying without valid visas or overstaying in Cambodia.

Victims have reported passport seizure or loss, for which the embassy provides free one-way travel documents.

Nepali arrivals to Cambodia have surged from 101 in 2021 to 1,977 in 2022, some 2,940 in 2023, at least 6,404 in 2024, and 9,676 in 2025.

The Embassy urged citizens to seek foreign employment only through official labor permits and warned against traveling to Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand on false promises of high earnings.