Police in Kampot are searching for ten Chinese criminals who escaped and are on the run after being arrested in connection with an internet scam.

Provincial police chief Major General Mao Chanmathurith said the suspects would be unable to leave the country because police confiscated their passports when they apprehended them last week.

He said the ten were among 38 Chinese suspects detained by his officers, adding that police would pay a reward for information leading to their capture.

Police released images of their passports and photos to enable the public to identify them.

On Thursday last week, the general department of immigration deported 74 Chinese nationals for allegedly extorting money from people in China using internet phone calls.

• Tags: internet scam, Kampot