KATHMANDU: Twenty-one Nepali citizens trafficked into illegal online scamming operations in Cambodia have been rescued and repatriated, officials said, as efforts continue to bring others home.

The group, many of whom were working in fraudulent online centers and casinos without valid visas, were returned through the initiative of the Nepali Embassy in Bangkok in coordination with Cambodian authorities and facilitation by the Non-Resident Nepali Association Cambodia.

The embassy said it has received multiple reports of Nepalis being lured into illegal work and overstaying visas. Some victims had their passports confiscated by operators or lost during transfers between scam centers.

To assist returnees, the embassy has been issuing free one-way travel documents. It has urged those stranded or in distress to immediately contact embassy officials or NRNA representatives for support.

Data shows a sharp rise in Nepali arrivals to Cambodia in recent years, increasing from just over 100 in 2021 to nearly 9,700 in 2025, raising concerns about trafficking risks.

Authorities have again warned individuals to seek foreign employment only through official labor permits and avoid traveling on visit visas to destinations such as Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand under the lure of quick earnings.