Cambodian police hand over 39 Vietnamese citizens at the Moc Bai - Bavet International Border Gate in Tay Ninh on February 25.
These individuals were identified by Cambodian authorities as "illegal residents" and were expelled from the country.
The group consisted mostly of young people, including minors under 18. Many expressed relief and joy, as Cambodia’s crackdown on illegal operations helped them escape forced labour and captivity in online scam companies.
According to some people in the group, they must pay a ransom ranging from USD2,000 to USD4,000 if they want to leave these companies. Those without money rely on police intervention or attempt to escape.
This marks the fifth repatriation operation between Cambodian authorities and the Moc Bai Border Guard Station since the beginning of the year. In total, 362 Vietnamese citizens have been received across these five operations.
Earlier, on February 6, 177 Vietnamese citizens were repatriated from Cambodia. Among them, authorities arrested 24 individuals involved in online fraud schemes.
According to representatives from the Moc Bai Border Guard Station, the returnees come from different backgrounds. While many are victims of labour trafficking, others include wanted criminals or individuals involved in illegal activities.
Most repatriated individuals stated they were tricked into taking "easy jobs with high salaries" or invited to travel for leisure before being deceived into joining scam companies. Some were even lured in by friends or family members.
Initially hoping for well-paying jobs, many victims were instead sold to exploitative companies, where they were forced to engage in online scams targeting Vietnamese citizens.
Those failing to meet work quotas faced fines, physical abuse, electric shocks, or even being resold to other scam companies.
An initial review of the 39 repatriated individuals confirmed that none were fugitives or involved in serious crimes. Most were found to have committed only administrative violations related to immigration laws.
Of the 39 individuals, only six possessed passports, while the rest had either entered Cambodia illegally or had their passports confiscated by employers.
By the evening of February 25, the Moc Bai Border Guard Station had handed over the group to the police for further screening. Those not found guilty of criminal offenses would be fined for administrative violations and allowed to return home.
