67 Vietnamese citizens escape from casino in Cambodia
The Vietnamese citizens escaped from a venue in the city of Bavet and are under police protection.
Cambodia.- The Cambodian Foreign Ministry has reported that at least 67 Vietnamese citizens escaped from a casino located in the city of Bavet. According to local media, the people were trying to return to Vietnam but four were recaptured by the leaders of the gambling venue. Cambodian police demanded that 11 Vietnamese citizens be released.
The Vietnamese government has already contacted the Cambodian authorities to identify the victims and start repatriation procedures.
In March, police rescued 44 Indonesian citizens from a Chinese-run online gambling ring. The gang was said to be directly linked to a gambling network that was operating outside Sihanoukville and that had connections to other criminal activities.
The 44 people answered a job offer that prompted them to leave Indonesia for Cambodia. Once there, they were forced to work 12-hour days and meet quotas that were often unattainable.
A week ago, the Cambodian government urged authorities in each province to step up their measures to combat unlicensed gambling. According to the Khmer Times, Ros Phearun, secretary general of the Cambodian Gambling Management Committee of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, urged authorities to shut down illegal gambling in cafes and shops.
He noted that such operations were not licensed by the Cambodian Gambling Regulatory Committee ( CEC). He added that only 60 casinos have gaming licences but that 140 operate in the country, a figure that reflects the growth of illegal gambling.
