Sex trafficking

The suspected owner of a brothel disguised as a karaoke parlour that is believed to have employed an underage girl was arrested yesterday in Oddar Meanchey’s Anlong Veng district after the premises were raided on Monday.

Yim Sorita, 55, was arrested after six female sex workers, including one believed to be under 18 years of age, were rescued from her alleged brothel, Lam Polin, director of Oddar Meanchey province’s Anti-Human trafficking and Juvenile Protection Office said yesterday.

“The victims were hired to [serve as waitress] in a karaoke parlour but performed sexual services to make money for the house owner,” he said.  

The suspect, he said, had denied the allegations.

Na Neang, Oddar Meanchey provincial police chief, said the six rescued victims were being sheltered in an office of the rights group Agir pour les Femmes en Situation Precaire, after the organisation assisted with their raid on the brothel.

Sao Chhoeurth, technical coordinator for Afesip, declined to provide information about the crackdown yesterday.

Police said on Monday that several military officials having “fun” were discovered during the raid on the brothel.