Cambodia trails ASEAN peers in illicit trade assessment
An industry-backed assessment gave Cambodia 36.6 points out of 100, citing corruption, enforcement weaknesses and limited oversight of online commerce.
Cambodia finished bottom of ASEAN and 138th globally among 158 countries assessed in the 2025 Illicit Trade Index. The Transnational Alliance to Combat Illicit Trade (TRACIT) gave the country 36.6 points out of 100, compared with the ASEAN average of 49.7.
Its weakest result concerned supply chain intermediaries: 9.3 points out of 100, below every other country in the region. TRACIT linked that score to inadequate supervision, especially of online platforms. It said Facebook, Telegram and TikTok facilitated informal selling, scams and illicit goods distribution, often without sufficient monitoring or enforcement.
The assessment identified corruption as a central problem, referencing Cambodia’s Transparency International corruption perceptions score of 20 out of 100. It also highlighted informal work, which accounts for more than 80% of employment, alongside scam compounds, human trafficking and shortcomings in the supervision of special economic zones.
TRACIT acknowledged that Cambodia collects advance information on shipments, operates a trusted-trader programme and can seize goods passing through the country. Nevertheless, it said enforcement remained weak and described Cambodia as a transit point for counterfeit products, narcotics, wildlife and timber. Ministry of Commerce spokesperson Pen Sovicheat did not immediately answer a request for comment.
The EU-ASEAN Business Council commissioned the regional assessment, which combines the index with interviews and analysis covering ASEAN’s 10 members. TRACIT is supported by industry and counts tobacco, alcohol and pharmaceutical businesses among its members. Its index measures 37 indicators grouped into six categories.
