An official with the Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh has visited 16 migrant workers at a casino in Kandal who have been wrapped up in an alleged caper committed by their labour recruiter.

Indonesian media reported over the weekend that an Indonesian man named Jefry Sun helped facilitate work for the men at a casino owned by the Dai Long gambling company before running off with roughly $161,000 of the casino’s money. In response, the casino was allegedly holding the workers captive until the dispute was resolved.

Abelian Yodha, a first secretary at the Indonesian Embassy, confirmed yesterday that the men were still in Kandal but struck down rumours that they were being forcibly held captive.

“I [met] with the 16 Indonesians, Kandal police and representatives of the company. There has been no concrete result that I can convey,” he said in a text message.

“What is certain is that they are in good health and are not detained in a cell, but in a guesthouse. They are under the protection of the Indonesian Embassy and the Kandal provincial police.”

Regarding the whereabouts of Sun, First Secretary Muhsinin Dolisada said that authorities “were still searching for him”, and it is understood that he is still in Cambodia.

However, a Kandal provincial police chief said that since the Indonesian workers had a contract with Dai Long, the company is looking into taking legal action against them.

“The company is working on filing a lawsuit,” he said. “If an individual worker is not involved in the dispute, the company will allow them to go back to work.”