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進入《TAIPEI TIMES》Cambodia searching for human trafficking victims
Motorcyclists and the New Mei Gao Mei （New MGM） casino, center, are reflected in a puddle at night in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, on Friday, March 30, 2018. Photo: Bloomberg
AP, PHNOM PENH
Cambodia on Friday said it is attempting to aid foreigners who have been conned by human traffickers, after Taiwan said it is seeking to free more than 300 of its citizens who were lured to the Southeast Asian nation by organized crime groups.
The mostly well-educated young people were promised high wages for tech jobs, but were then forced to work in call centers, scamming mainly Chinese into making payments for non-existent government fees or investment opportunities.
Cambodian Minister of the Interior Sar Kheng said his ministry is launching a nationwide check of all foreigners living in Cambodia, aside from embassy personnel.
It would search especially for foreigners who have been victimized by human traffickers, he said.
Police in two provinces, Kandal and Preah Sihanouk, on Thursday checked the status of foreigners residing or working at hotels, rented properties and casinos, Sar Kheng said, adding that several people were arrested on suspicion of organizing human trafficking and some apparent victims were taken into protection.
Police were still trying to determine whether those who said they were victims were telling the truth, he said.
Sar Kheng did not specify how many people were rounded up or what their nationalities were, but confirmed that some foreigners told police that they had been attracted by what were portrayed as lawful jobs offering high salaries.
However, upon arriving in Cambodia, they were forced to work illegally in jobs that were “not what they had agreed to,” Sar Kheng said.
Taiwan on Friday said 333 of its citizens were stuck in Cambodia after being lured by crime groups promising high wages for tech jobs, based on reports from families asking for help.
The situation is complicated further because Cambodia is a close ally of China and refuses to recognize Taiwan or have any official contacts with the government in Taipei.
Taiwanese media have been reporting extensively on the plight of those trapped by the networks. Police at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport have been patrolling with signs warning of the dangers of bogus offers of high salaries in Southeast Asia.
In related news, dozens of Vietnamese casino workers allegedly forced to toil without pay in Cambodia have fled back to their homeland by swimming across a river, authorities in Phnom Penh said.
About 40 staff at the Golden Phoenix Entertainment Casino in Kandal Province — which neighbors Vietnam — fought off security guards to escape, leaving one missing after being swept away by the current, Vietnamese state media reported.
“These people might have been here working illegally,” Sar Kheng said. “They were promised salaries, but they did not get what they were promised... They crossed back to Vietnam because they could not reach a deal. They fled the place.”
He said Cambodian police had detained a casino manager and were investigating the incident.
One 20-year-old woman said casino security guards attacked the group with batons and iron sticks as they tried to flee.
“Our four months being cheated while working at a casino in Cambodia were like hell,” she told the VnExpress news site, adding that she was forced to work 14-hour days.
“If I did not do it, I would be beaten to death,” she said.
Vietnamese police colonel Dinh Van Noi said the 35 men and five women had been questioned and tested for COVID-19 after crossing the Binh Di River, which acts as a natural border and is 70m wide at its narrowest point.
He told state media the group were forced to work long hours at the casino and were not paid what they were owed.
Additional reporting by AFP
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
