22-5-2024 (HANOI) Authorities in southern Vietnam are investigating a local man accused of extortion and threatening individuals who escaped from a forced labour situation in Cambodia. Tran Thanh Luc, 34, was apprehended on May 19 in Tay Ninh Province, which borders Cambodia.
The incident began when Thanh and her husband, residents of Duong Minh Chau District in Tay Ninh, were lured to Cambodia in April by the promise of employment, only to find themselves trapped in exploitative conditions at Kim Sa 3 Company in Bavet City. The company, operated by a Chinese national named Bao, is notorious for using social media scams to defraud others.
In early May, Thanh’s husband was dismissed for failing to meet the company’s demands. He was told he needed to pay nearly US$1,700 to secure his return to Vietnam. Thanh, seeking to leave with her husband, was asked to pay US$2,400 for her release.
Rather than pay the ransom, Thanh, her husband, and five other Vietnamese forced labourers orchestrated an escape. They enlisted the help of a Vietnamese woman named Tran Thi Thanh The, who also worked at the facility. The helped them escape to Vietnam via illegal border routes.
Upon their return earlier this month, The contacted Thanh on May 14, claiming she was detained by Bao for facilitating their escape. Bao’s company demanded that the escapees return to Cambodia and pay US$2,400 each to continue working or face a penalty of US$5,000 per person.
Subsequently, The instructed her brother, Tran Thanh Luc, to visit Thanh’s home to collect the ransom. Luc met with Thanh’s husband, threatening them to either pay the full amount or transfer their house ownership to him. Thanh managed to give Luc VND70 million (US$2,750), but he continued his threats, demanding more money.
Thanh reported the extortion to the police, leading to Luc’s arrest at her home on May 19. A search of Luc’s residence yielded cash, foreign currency, documents related to illegal lending, six land use certificates, and two unopened safes.
Investigators are now broadening their inquiry to uncover the full extent of the illegal activities and are urging other victims of this forced labour and extortion scheme to come forward.
