The Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday handed a 10-year sentence to a woman, who remains at large, after she trafficked five women from Cambodia into sex work in Malaysia.

Khoeun May, 45, recruited the women to be illegally smuggled to Malaysia in September 2013 on the promise of work in garment factories. However, upon arrival, they were forced into prostitution.

She was charged with “unlawful recruitment and the act of selling, buying or exchanging a person for the purpose of exploitation” under articles 12 and 14 of the Law on Suppression of Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation.

May’s accomplice, Len Kimleang, 27, was arrested in October 2014, and yesterday received a two-year sentence for her role in the crimes.

Speaking during the sentencing, presiding judge Mong Monysorphea called on authorities to catch May and bring her to justice.

“The court . . . is ordering for her to be sought out and arrested so that she serves the term of her punishment in keeping with the court’s verdict,” he said.

The charges were brought after the victims managed to report the incident to Malaysian authorities. All five have since returned to Cambodia.