24 Vietnamese trafficked into Chinese-run scam rings in Cambodia repatriated

They returned to Vietnam through the Ha Tien International Border Gate in Kien Giang Province on Thursday.

According to Kien Giang Provincial Police, the victims came from various provinces and cities. They were recruited through social media with offers requiring "no experience" and promising "thousands of dollars in income" for "easy, well-paid work."

Once in Cambodia, they were smuggled across the border illegally and taken to compounds operated by Chinese nationals. There, they were coerced into running scam calls. Those who failed to meet assigned quotas or attempted to escape faced physical abuse.

Recently, Cambodian authorities uncovered their illegal employment, detained them, and arranged their return to Vietnam.

In recent months, provinces bordering Cambodia - including Tay Ninh, Long An, An Giang, Dong Thap, and Kien Giang - have continuously received Vietnamese citizens rescued from scam companies and casinos. Most were deceived into traveling to Cambodia, only to be forced into defrauding other Vietnamese people online.

According to the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, more than 1,000 victims of labor scams in Cambodia have been rescued so far.