The Svay Rieng Provincial Court on Monday placed five Vietnamese nationals in pre-trial detention after they were arrested for allegedly extorting money from two compatriots in Bavet town on December 5.

Court spokesman Tep Phalla told The Post on Tuesday the five had been charged by an investigating judge and face up to 10 years imprisonment if found guilty.

“They were charged with human confinement under Article 253 of the Criminal Code,” he said.

Phalla said the victims were from Tay Ninh and Quang Binh provinces.

“The pair has been handed over to their family in Vietnam,” he said.

Provincial deputy Military Police chief Srey Vutha said before the arrest, the owner of the suspects’ rented house, Len Tang, reported to his officers after hearing the victims scream for help while he was cleaning a nearby room.

Vutha said the victims allegedly lost all their money in gambling at a casino in Bavet town and took loans from the accused. They were detained for two days when they were unable to repay the loans after losing all their money a second time.

He said the victims were not beaten while they were confined.

“The suspects failed to get their money back from the victims,” he said.