Three alleged human traffickers were sent to Svay Rieng Provincial Court last Thursday based on complaints submitted earlier this month by Sar Sokheng, 24, and Mom Mara, 32, said anti-human trafficking police chief Neth Sareun.

More than 30 other women remain in Malaysia as sex workers in massage shops after being deceived by the suspects’ promises of beauty salon jobs in Kuala Lumpur, the women alleged.

The suspects, Neang Ham, 65, his wife, Nouv Yoeu, 62, and Pav Samphors, 25, face charges of illegal recruitment and human trafficking for purposes of sexual exploitation, Sareun said.

“If found guilty, they will face sentences of seven to 15 years in prison,” he added.

The victims each paid the brokers at least $500 to be set up in Malaysian beauty salons in January, Sareun said, and their families had to pay the massage shops where they were actually sent $700 each for their return to Cambodia this month.  

“In order to rescue the other victims, I have reported this case to my superiors in the Anti-Human Trafficking and Juvenile Protection Department,” Sareun said.

Ya Navuth, executive director of the NGO Caram, which often helps repatriate workers from Malaysia, said his organisation had not yet received any requests for assistance relating to the case.

To contact the reporter on this story: Buth Reaksmey Kongkea at [email protected]