B’bang woman in court for people smuggling

BATTAMBANG aut horities on Sunday sent a suspected people smuggler to court as a result of an ongoing investigation, t he prov incia l antihuman trafficking and juvenile protection deput y police chief Ros Chiv y told The Post on Sunday.

Fort y-three-year-old Hun Kolab, f rom Bavel district’s Khnach Romeas commune, was arrested by the Interior Ministr y and prov incia l police on Friday, as per the court’s warrant num- ber 2 dated Januar y 10.

The suspect had a l legedly smuggled many people into Thailand, she said, and confirmed t hat “We have enough ev idence that led to t his arrest.”

If t he suspect is found guilt y, Chiv y said, she might be charged with “Unlawful Removal with Purpose”.

The of fence is punishable with seven to 20 years of imprisonment, in v iolation of Article 10 of t he Law on Suppression of Human Traffick ing and Sexual Exploitat ion.

Chiv y noted t hat t he aut horities are investigating many ot her people suspected of i l licit activ it y. She a lso said it had been going on since 2016 and v ictims from Battambang, Banteay Meanchey and Kampong Speu prov inces had a lready been deceived

Pak You Leang, the deput y director of t he Interior Ministr y’s Department of AntiHuman Trafficking and Juvenile Protection, told The Post on Sunday that Kolab’s arrest was made after t he v ictims reported t hat they had been lied to by the suspect, who told them t hat they would be working on a fishing boat.

“We investigated t his case for about t wo months after receiv ing complaints from t he v ictims.

“We are collecting more ev idence to study t his case further and find other suspects,” You Leang said.

The spokesman for t he Battambang prov incia l court, Seng Phanith, could not be reached for additiona l comment by The Post on Sunday .

The illicit activity has deceived victims from Battambang, Banteay Meanchey and Kampong Speu provinces