Three victims of labor trafficking recued; mastermind arrested
Thursday, February 02, 2012
On January 27, 2012 anti human trafficking juvenile protection unit of Phnom Penh led by major Chin Da and anti human trafficking and juvenile protection unit of Banteay Mean Chey provincial commissariat arrested a 40-year-old Cambodian Orn Sophal at his rented house in Mittapheap village, Sangkat Poi Pet, Poi Pet town, Banteay Mean Chey province, for the alleged offense he had illegally brought three underage boys to work on Thai fishing boats in Ban The sea, Rakyorng province, Thailand.
It’s to confirm that on December 20, 2011 Phnom Penh Anti Human Trafficking and Juvenile Protection police and APLE were invited to coordinate the losing boys’ families for lodging complaint with Committee for Labor and Social Welfare of Thai Senate, following the complaint by the boys’ families to APLE and police on December 9, 2011.
On December 29, 2011 Committee on Labor and Social Welfare (CLSW) of Thai Senate informed APLE that the three boys were rescued by Thai police and invited APLE to coordinate the families, together with Cambodian authority to repatriate them back to Cambodia.
Upon the boys’ arrival, Cambodian police of anti-human trafficking and juvenile protection police conducted in-depth interview on the boys. They testified to police that they were brought by Orn Sophal and conspirators by walking across about 20 kilometers to Thailand at night and stayed in villager’s plantation waiting until the next day break for car to bring them to fishing boat. After the interview, police found leads to the identification of the mastermind Orn Sophal.
At the Phnom Penh anti human trafficking and juvenile protection police, Orn Sophal admitted to his fault confessing that before he brings worker to Thailand, those workers were always allowed to stay in his rental house for waiting night break and he also get the 5000 bath commission from his boss per one worker.
Now Orn Sophal is being provisionally detained at Prey Sar prison after he was formally charged by Prosecutor Kry Sok Y with article 9 “Unlawful Removal of Minor” of law on Suppression of Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation, awaiting upcoming trial. (APLE)
