PHNOM PENH: Minister of Interior Sar Sokha claimed that the number of people being trafficked in online scams is nowhere near the estimate of 100,000 given in a report from the United Nations Human Rights Commissioner (UNOHCHR) in August.

His remarks are in response to a UNOHCHR report released in August, which estimates around 100,000 people are trafficked and in forced labor situations in connection with cyber-fraud including money laundering through romance, cryptocurrency and illegal gambling in five countries in Southeast Asia, including Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar and the Philippines.

Minister Sar Sokha presented his Ministry’s report on National Anti-Human Trafficking Day under the theme "Technology as a Means for National Development, Not Human Trafficking" on December 12. There, he said that over the past year, law enforcement has investigated 1,213 criminal cases, including 259 cases of forced labor, involving 48 women of seven nationalities that were presumed to be human trafficking cases. He added that the police also arrested 91 suspects (with three nationalities) for illegal detention and 35 suspects (with four nationalities) involved in human trafficking cases. The authorities closed five crime sites and opened a total of ten money laundering investigations.

"This is a real result found in the territory of Cambodia and can prove that there are nowhere near 100,000 victims who are trapped or forced to work illegally through the fraudulent system, as alleged," he said.

The UN report said that exact estimates of human trafficking are difficult to gauge because of its clandestine nature and gaps in the official response. The massive gap between the UN numbers and those of the Cambodian government were made exceedingly clear when the Interior Minister reported 259 forced labor cases for the year. The UN report’s estimate was backed up by “information on file” and not explained further in the report.

Interior Minister Sar Sokha said that in his role as chairman of the National Committee for Combating Human Trafficking, he has a strong commitment to the fight against human trafficking and considered it a priority of the Royal Government of the 7th legislature to promote security, safety, humanity and enhance the potential of human resources for national development in all areas. He advised the strengthening of public awareness of these scams.

He expressed hope and confidence that the representatives of the countries concerned, as well as development partners and civil society organizations working towards the fight against human trafficking, would continue to cooperate more widely to increase its effectiveness to protects the rights and interests of the people of countries that are being trafficked and exploited by criminals in all its forms.