Cambodia repatriates 78 Vietnamese tricked into illegal business

They were handed over to officers at Moc Bai International Border Gate after being saved thanks to joint efforts of Cambodian authorities and the Vietnamese Embassy.

All of them had been tricked to come to Cambodia and forced to work in casinos and for illegal companies near the Cambodia-Vietnam border. It was not clear how long each has been in Cambodia.

Border guards have identified the returnees and completed procedures for them to return to their hometowns.

The verification process, however, found one to be a suspect wanted internationally for smuggling. The suspect has been handed over to Ho Chi Minh City police.

Cambodian authorities have been ramping up efforts to stamp out human trafficking in the country.

Thanks to the campaign, border personnel in Vietnamese localities have repeatedly received repatriates from Cambodia.

In most cases, those Vietnamese were promised jobs with decent salaries in Cambodia before they were made to work against their will, traded among business owners, and forced to trick more Vietnamese via online platforms. In some cases, returnees have been reported being physically abused and threatened with death if they did not follow the rules.

According to the Vietnamese Embassy in Cambodia, so far this year, Vietnamese authorities and police have coordinated with Cambodian authorities to rescue more than 600 people who were tricked into working illegally across the border.

Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sar Kheng, who heads a national committee on human trafficking, told Cambodian press earlier that in the year to late August, the country had investigated 87 cases of human trafficking, tried 17 cases involving a total 60 people, and rescued 865 foreigners.