Strike Force ‘JUNO” make first arrest of Online Predator/Pedophile in Kompong Thom.
Strike Force ‘Juno’ is a Joint Strike Force established in conjunction with the Cambodian National Police and Royal Gendarmerie to investigate internet-based crimes committed against children.
On the 30th of September strike force members made their first arrest of a 33 year old man in Kompong Tom province. The male had groomed a 12 year old girl from Phnom Penh after posing as a friend on Facebook. The offender had lured the child to a restaurant for lunch then took the child to Kompong Cham province.
Strike Force members became aware of the case on the 23rd of September after a report was filed by the victim’s parents. Investigations and examination of social media pages used by the victim alerted Task Force members of the possibility of the child being a victim of internet based crimes.
The child was tracked to Kompong Cham province by investigators and then to Kompong Tom province. Cambodian National Police and Royal Gendarmerie undertook numerous searches in an attempt to locate the pair. At about 6pm on the 30th of September, the child was located in Kompong Tom province and a short time later the male was arrested. The suspect has been transported back to Phnom Penh Military Police Headquarters where further investigations are being undertaken. The suspect is likely to be presented to the Phnom Penh Court on today’s date.
This was a great result and highlights the fact that NO country is immune from these types of offenses and that the CNP and Royal Gendarmerie are willing and determined to Disrupt Detect and Deter these types of crimes targeting children. CHILD PROTECTION UNIT
*This comes a few weeks after a report said Cambodia was ‘lagging behind’ in cyber sex crimes.
