Malaysian woman in Australia jailed for sex trafficking

PERTH: A Malaysian woman living in Australia has been sentenced to a jail term of three years and four months for trafficking her friend into sex work.

Australian daily Perth Now reported yesterday that Khoo Lay Foon, 38, must serve at least 18 months in prison before becoming eligible for parole, She is expected to be deported after her release.

Khoo, herself a former prostitute, had reportedly arranged for a flight ticket to Western Australia for her friend in December 2015.

Upon her arrival, however, the woman was taken to a brothel and allegedly told that she would have to work to repay Khoo for the A$1,900 spent on travel arrangements.

Perth Now reported in September that the woman spent a week at the brothel before going to the police.

Police said her passport was also confiscated, and that she was told she would not get it back until she had paid her debt to Khoo.

Latest reports said the victim’s initial debt was A$1,900, but that it eventually ballooned to A$10,000. She also was forced to pay A$900 for her airline ticket, although it only cost A$450.

According to another Australian daily, ABC News, Khoo was also said to have intimidated the victim by sending her threatening text messages about her passport and family.

District Court Judge Julie Wager, who sentenced Khoo, said she had shown a blatant disregard for human rights.

“Slavery and people trafficking are among the most abhorrent of all crimes,” she was quoted as saying by Perth Now.

Wager acknowledged the difficult life that Khoo herself had endured, being born in prison to two drug traffickers and raised by abusive relatives.

Khoo had also come to Australia without any money and worked as a prostitute.

Wager added however that this background did not justify Khoo’s act of committing such grave offences.