The key facts

  • The 20th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime is being held in Manila from October 19 to 21, chaired by Philippine Interior Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla
  • The agenda includes cybercrime, human trafficking, online fraud, money laundering, drug trafficking, and border security
  • Cambodia reported raids on 488 suspected scam sites and the detention of more than 20,000 people in the first half of 2026

Meeting in Manila

Interior and security ministers of Southeast Asian countries began a three-day meeting in Manila on Monday, devoted to cybercrime, human trafficking, online fraud, and other cross-border crimes. The 20th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime will run until October 21, with Philippine Interior Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla as its chair, the Philippine News Agency reported.

Agenda

Participants will consider declarations concerning online sexual exploitation and materials depicting sexual violence against children, including content generated with artificial intelligence. Money laundering, drug trafficking, arms smuggling, and border security are also being discussed. The meeting is taking place amid large-scale raids against online scam centers in the region. Consultations with China, Japan, and South Korea on law enforcement cooperation are planned. The Philippines is expected to hand over the chairmanship to Singapore.

Context: The Fight Against Scam Centers

Cambodia reported that in the first half of 2026 it conducted raids on 488 suspected scam operation sites and detained more than 20,000 people. Myanmar has also carried out operations against scam compounds along the border with Thailand. In January, China executed 11 people linked to Myanmar-based scam syndicates, and last week a Chinese court sentenced three more members of the group to death for fraud and other crimes.