Japanese charged with human trafficking in Cambodia – Bangkok Post

PHNOM PENH - A Cambodian court on Monday charged a Japanese man and two Cambodian suspects with illegally recruiting women who were allegedly trafficked to Japan for sexual exploitation.

Susumu Fukui, the 52-year-old owner of the Guinness Japanese restaurant, his 28-year-old Cambodian wife Lim Leakhena and 30-year-old employee Seng Chandy were each charged with "illegal recruitment for exploitation" in the Phnom Penh Municipal Court.

They were arrested on Saturday.

According to a police document, Mr Fukui and his wife last August recruited 10 Cambodian women to work in Japan, promising them monthly salaries ranging from $3,500 to $5,000, and lent them $500 each.

On Nov 8, 2016, the recruits arrived in Japan where they were put to work at the Ikaho Restaurant in Gunma Prefecture and forced into sexual servitude, according to the allegations.

On Dec 3, 2016, seven of them sought help from the Cambodian Embassy in Japan, which cooperated with Japanese authorities to have all 10 of them rescued and sent back to Cambodia.

A case was subsequently filed against Mr Fukui and the two others by the Human Trafficking and Juvenile Protection Department of the Phnom Penh Municipal Police.

Under Cambodian law, the suspects face up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

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Japanese charged with human trafficking in Cambodia - Bangkok Post