POLICE in Preah Sihanouk province rounded up scores of suspected sex workers from restaurants, bars and karaoke parlours last week in a series of raids that officials described as part of an attempt to curb “immorality” and halt human trafficking.

Chor Heng, the provincial deputy police chief in charge of human trafficking, said a total of 61 people had been held during raids on March 25 and March 26.

“Some of them were prostitutes and some were just women who sit out in the front and wave to potential customers of the prostitutes,” he said, adding that those in the latter group had been released after police “secured” guarantees from their employers that they were not sex workers.

He said some of the suspected sex workers had been sent to the provincial Department of Social Affairs, while others had been released.

He added that the raids would continue.