Couple sent to court over secret sex services at their restaurant
THE Interior Minister’s Anti-Human Trafficking and Juvenile Protection Department on Thursday questioned a married couple before sending them to the Phnom Penh Municipal court.
This follows their arrest in connection with secretly providing sex services in Meanchey district’s Stueng Meanchey III commune.
Department deputy director Pak Youleang said specialists had been questioning the couple, who are the owners of Lyhour Rasmey Ponleu Sach Kor Aing 999 – a roast beef shop in the commune.
He said police suspected them of secretly providing sex services. During an operation on Tuesday, police arrested the couple and rescued five female victims who were then sent to the social affairs department.
“We are now questioning the two suspects as per procedure. Having been questioned, perhaps we will send them to court on Thursday.
“As for the five female victims, we are filling in forms to send them to the social affairs department. We have also shut down the shop temporarily,” he said, adding that the husband is 38 years old while his wife is 36.
Meanchey district police chief Meng Vimeandara said on Thursday that his officers had joined the operation.
“We joined the specialists from the Anti-Human Trafficking and Juvenile Protection Department in the operation. But we didn’t make a report. Please ask an official from the department ... they know more than I do,” he said.
Stueng Meanchey II commune police chief Em Pheary said he and his officials had also joined the operation.
He said that the shop sold food and drinks at night for years. But over the past few years, the owners had secretly provided sex services.
“The Lyhour’s owners don’t provide sex services at the shop. They have secret relations with young girls outside.
“Then, they also procured them for men outside. They arranged an appointment for them to meet at a guesthouse near the shop. I don’t know more than this,” he said.