Cambodia has deported 50 Chinese and 13 Taiwanese nationals suspected of telecoms fraud to China via the Phnom Penh International Airport on Tuesday, the country's Ministry of Public Security in Beijing said.

Cambodian authorities arrested the offenders, who are suspected of committing internet and phone extortion fraud, during a raid in Phnom Penh's Chbar Ampov district in August following a month-long investigation, according to a report released by the immigration department of Cambodia's Interior Ministry on Tuesday.

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All the offenders, who have been accused of operating an Internet scam using voice over internet protocol technology (VoIP), were deported to Changshu, China, aboard a China Southern Airlines flight at 2 p.m.

According to Cambodia Daily, Uk Heisela, chief of the investigations, has corrected the initial report by the immigration department that 64 suspects were nabbed. He further said that all the suspects of the extortion racket are in China.

Taiwan's foreign ministry has protested against the deportation of the suspects to China late on Tuesday, saying Cambodia was being pressured by Beijing.

China's Public Security Ministry has, however, defended the move saying that the suspects were brought back to China since most of their victims are from the mainland.

Channel News Asia reported that offenders would be tried in Nanjiang, Jiangsu province.

The group was allegedly using VoIP to target victims in China. Such internet scam have not only cost billions of dollars but has also driven some victims to suicide, Channel News Asia reported.

Last month, Cambodian authorities also arrested 64 people for being involved in a similar internet scam. Authorities nabbed the Chinese and Taiwanese nationals following a month-long surveillance. Officials confiscated 57 VoIP boxes, 57 Wi-Fi routers, and eight laptops from the suspects.

Another 39 suspects from China and Taiwan were also nabbed in Phnom Pehn in June.

Tagsinternet scam, VoIP, voice over internet protocol technology, china, scams, Cambodia, Taiwan