A fresh complaint has been filed against a company already before the courts for allegedly running a human-trafficking racket that sent more than 150 Cambodians onto fishing boats as virtual slaves.

More than 20 men who claim they were forced to work almost without sleep and without pay for years filed a complaint yesterday to the rights group Adhoc demanding compensation from Ocean International Fishery Co Ltd.

Lai Im, a Kampong Chhnang province program officer with Adhoc said the complaint from the men who were just recently repatriated would be submitted to the Phnom Penh Municipal Court.

“Because the owner of the company was arrested in Phnom Penh and is awaiting trial, that’s why the victims filed the complaint to Phnom Penh court demanding their salary and compensation,” she said.

Lin Yu Shin, 53, the owner of the Giant Ocean International Fishery, was charged last month with the “unlawful removal [of persons] with purpose” after police received more than 169 complaints that her company was trafficking Cambodians abroad.

Var Kim Hong, 22, who was repatriated from Fiji last month, said he was promised a salary of $200 month but never received a cent for more than three years.

Like the other signatories to the complaint, Kim Hong is demanding $10,000 in compensation from the firm.

“I tried to work at sea, fishing every day,” Kim Hong said.

“I could sleep only three or four hours per day. I did not get a single dollar of my salary.”