Photos show a former scam compound at the Thai-Cambodian border

O'SMACH, Cambodia (AP) — In the town of O’Smach, along Cambodia’s northern border with Thailand, stands a compound of abandoned buildings that were battered by shelling during recent weeks of armed clashes.

The site, now occupied by Thai troops, had served as one of Cambodia’s notorious scam centers, according to Thai officials.

A six-story building, shown to journalists and international observers on Monday during a trip organized by the Thai military, is scattered with documents, equipment and personal belongings, likely abandoned in haste.

“They are well-organized. They have good infrastructure and systems, and also the workflow and many, many tactics and techniques to do the scams,” said Lt. Gen. Teeranan Nandhakwang, director of the Thai army’s intelligence unit.

Experts say such scam operations in Cambodia and elsewhere have cheated people around the world out of billions of dollars and tricked people from many countries to work in them under slave-like conditions.

The Thai military said the compound was secured during the December clashes because Cambodian forces had used it as a military base.

A ceasefire reached in December stipulated that the warring sides would de-escalate tensions and hold their forces at the positions they occupied prior to the agreement. That includes the compound on Cambodian soil now occupied by Thai troops.

Dozens of rooms have wooden booths lined with foam for soundproofing, scripts written in multiple languages, lists of names and phone numbers, computer monitors and empty brackets for hard drives.

There are also mock-up sets resembling police stations and uniforms of law enforcement of at least seven countries: China, Australia, India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore and Brazil.

One room has a replica of what appears to be a Vietnamese bank branch, complete with service counters, banners and a waiting area.

The set-ups served as essential to a scam where people are targeted by scam operators pretending to be officials or other authority figures. Scripted approaches were meant to threaten arrest or other legal action unless instructions were followed.

A view of buildings that Thai authorities believe were being used for scam operations in O'Smach, Cambodia, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

A Thai soldier keeps guard outside a scam center in O'Smach, Cambodia, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

A Thai policeman inspects a damaged work station at a scam compound in O'Smach, Cambodia, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

A Thai policeman inspects a scam compound in O'Smach, Cambodia, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

A Thai soldier inspects a scam center in O'Smach, Cambodia, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

An Australian flag lies on the floor of an abandoned bedroom at a scam center in O'Smach, Cambodia, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Thai soldiers inspect a scam compound in O'Smach, Cambodia, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Fake dollar bills lie on the floor at a scam center in O'Smach, Cambodia, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

A Thai journalist wears a fake Singapore police uniform at a mock-up set resembling a police station inside a scam compound in O'Smach, Cambodia, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

A work station lined with foam for soundproofing is seen inside a scam compound in O'Smach, Cambodia, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

A Thai soldier walks at a at scam compound in O'Smach, Cambodia, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

A Thai solider inspects a work station inside a scam center in O'Smach, Cambodia, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

A mock-up set resembling an Australian police station is seen at a scam compound in O'Smach, Cambodia, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

A Thai soldier inspects a work station with wooden phone booths lined with foam for soundproofing, inside a scam compound in O'Smach, Cambodia, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Thai soldiers inspect an abandoned bedroom at a scam center in O'Smach, Cambodia, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Thai media inspect what appears to be a mock-up set resembling a Chinese police station at a scam center in O'Smach, Cambodia, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

A journalist walks inside a damaged work station at a scam compound in O'Smach, Cambodia, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

A fake Indonesian police shirt hangs inside a scam center in O'Smach, Cambodia, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

An abandoned bedroom is seen at a scam center in O Smach, Cambodia, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

A Thai soldier keeps guard outside a scam center in O'Smach, Cambodia, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — An Arizona sheriff said Monday that “we do in fact have a crime scene” as authorities search for the 84-year-old mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie, who was reported missing over the weekend.

Speaking during a news conference, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said there are signs at the home indicating Nancy Guthrie did not leave on her own.

“I need this community to step up and start giving us some calls,” Nanos said.

Asked to explain why investigators believe it’s a crime scene, Nanos said Nancy Guthrie has limited mobility and said there were other things indicated she did not leave on her own, but declined to further elaborate.

The sheriff said Nancy Guthrie, who lived alone, was of sound mind. “This is not dementia related. She’s as sharp as a tack. The family wants everyone to know that this isn’t someone who just wandered off,” Nanos said. He said she needs her daily medication.

Nanos said at a news conference Sunday night that Nancy Guthrie was last seen around 9:30 p.m. Saturday at her home in the Tucson area. Her family reported her missing around noon Sunday.

Nanos said a family member received a call from someone at church saying Nancy Guthrie wasn’t there, leading family to search for her at her home and then calling 911.

Searchers were using drones and search dogs to look for Nancy Guthrie, Nanos said. Search and rescue teams were supported by volunteers and Border Patrol and the homicide team was also involved, he said. It is not standard for the homicide team to get involved in such cases, Nanos said.

“This one stood out because of what was described to us at the scene and what we located just looking at the scene,” Nanos said Sunday. He was not ruling out foul play.

On Monday morning, Nanos said search crews worked hard but have since been pulled back. “We don’t see this as a search mission so much as it is a crime scene,” the sheriff said. Savannah Guthrie issued a statement on Monday, NBC's “Today” show reported.

“On behalf of our family, I want to thank everyone for the thoughts, prayers and messages of support,” she said. “Right now, our focus remains on the safe return of our dear Nancy."

“Today” opened Monday’s show with the disappearance of the co-anchor’s mother, but Savannah Guthrie was not at the anchor’s desk. Nanos said during the Monday news conference that Savannah Guthrie is in Arizona.

This image provided by the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, shows a missing person alert for Nancy Guthrie. (Pima County Sheriff’s Department via AP)

FILE - Savannah Guthrie attends the third annual World Mental Health Day Gala, hosted by Project Healthy Minds, at Spring Studios on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, file)