Cambodia arrested 50% more human traffickers in 9 months

PHNOM PENH -- In the first nine months of this year, Cambodian police brought 75 cases of human trafficking to court and arrested 107 traffickers, a 50 percent increase compared with the same time period last year, national media reported Tuesday.

The police have strengthened enforcement and successfully worked with local authorities nationwide, Bith Kim Hong, director of the Anti-human Trafficking and Juvenile Protection Department, was quoted by the Phnom Penh Post as saying.

"We hope that we will keep the human trafficking situation under control in the next few years with the continued cooperation of law enforcement and local authorities," he said.

"Each human trafficker was sentenced to 10 to 28 years in prison," he added.

While the police celebrated these numbers, opposition party members said more needs to be done to end human trafficking in Cambodia.

Sam Rainsy Party lawmaker Mu Sochua told the Post that, too many Cambodians are still falling victim to human traffickers.

"We have many good laws, but if we do not find out the real issue, we will not combat trafficking well," Mu Sochua said.