Cambodia Human Trafficking: Job Recruitment Serves as Front to Lure Victims

Several people worldwide lost their jobs due to the pandemic. Due to this, there are also a lot of unscrupulous people who take advantage of other people even if it means making dirty money. Cambodia human trafficking is getting prevalent and continues to victimize job seekers.

Cambodia Human Trafficking Victims Repatriated

Recently, Cambodia deported 12 Vietnamese workers who were tricked to work in the country. Deputy spokesman of the foreign ministry, Doan Khac Viet acknowledges inquiries regarding citizen protection measures safety for their workers who became illegal workers in Cambodia.

Viet added that Cambodian authorities also escalating their efforts to eradicate human trafficking in the country. Victims are usually attracted by high-paying easy jobs.

Last month, the country repatriated 25 trafficked workers. It includes 11 people from a casino in Kandal Province. Others escaped (42) while some (40) swam across a river to make it to Vietnam.

Thousands of Vietnamese may have been smuggled to Cambodia to be taken advantage of. They were compelled to work in cruel conditions for insufficient payment.

According to Cambodia's Minister of the Interior, Sar Kheng, authorities have identified 87 human trafficking incidents from the beginning of 2022 until August 20. He added that 865 victims have been rescued so far.

Malaysian Workers Saved from Human Smuggling In Cambodia

Malaysia's Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah brought back 24 Malaysians from Cambodia, rescued from human smugglers. He stated that 65 of the 148 missing Malaysians were saved and brought home earlier. The other 29 remain at the immigration centres in Sihanoukville and Phnom Penh. They will return home once their documents and investigation are complete.

Abdullah said that these people were drawn by deceitful offers of high-paying jobs in Cambodia. Unfortunately, they fell into the hands of human smugglers and became trapped. However, he didn't disclose any information about how the 24 Malaysian victims were deceived into working in Cambodia. Likewise, he gave no details on how long they were trapped.

“What is most important is that they are coming back to Malaysia today safe and sound. We do not want to go into the details. There is no guarantee we can stop it (job scams) but we will try our level best,” Saifuddin said,“ said Abdullah.

100 Overseas Filipino Workers Gotten Off the Hook

Over a hundred overseas Filipino workers (OFW) got off the hook of online scams that offer jobs with huge salaries in 2021. The Philippine Embassy in Phnom Penh orchestrated the rescue of 61 workers last year and an additional 50 this year to date.

The rescued OFWs got their employment via online scamming and “catfishing” activities in Cambodia, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs. Catfishing means using bogus online identity to embezzle other people.