78 rescued from casinos and illegal businesses in Cambodia

The Vietnamese citizens had been tricked into travelling to Cambodia by advertisements promising stable employment and high salaries.

Cambodia.- A joint operation between the Cambodian authorities and the Embassy of Vietnam has rescued 78 Vietnamese citizens from illegal casinos and other businesses in Cambodia. According to local media, those rescued were deceived by advertisements promising stable employment and high salaries but were forced to work in clandestine casinos and illegal companies near the border with Vietnam.

In some cases, those rescued were physically abused and threatened with death. In recent months, Cambodian authorities have intensified efforts against human trafficking in the country. In September, authorities rescued 15 Malaysian citizens who had been subjected to illegal work linked to gambling and fraudulent call centres.

In another case, at least 67 Vietnamese citizens escaped from a casino in the city of Bavet. So far this year, Vietnamese authorities and police have coordinated with Cambodian authorities to rescue more than 600 people who were tricked into crossing the border to work illegally.

Cambodian deputy prime minister and interior minister Sar Kheng, who heads the National Human Trafficking Commission, previously told Cambodian media that as of the end of August, the country had investigated 87 human trafficking cases and brought 17 cases to court, involving a total of 60 people, and rescued 865 foreigners.