Two men, Hoang Minh Duc, 28, and Duong Manh Hung, 28, were convicted for luring job seekers to Cambodia under the guise of legitimate employment and selling them for profit.
According to court records, the pair were paid VND 10 million (about US$380) for each person they recruited and transported to Cambodia.
They used a fake job advertisement offering plant care positions in Dong Nai Province with a monthly salary of VND 7 million.
Between late June and early July 2022, the suspects received five workers from an employment agency, including two minors under the age of 16, and delivered them to an accomplice in Cambodia.
They earned a total of VND 50 million from the transactions, Vietnam detective agency.
On July 5, 2022, Duc and Hung attempted to transport two more victims to the Cambodian border.
The victims became suspicious, realized they were being trafficked, and contacted the employment agency for help. Police and border authorities quickly rescued them and arrested the suspects.
The Ho Chi Minh City People’s Court sentenced Hoang Minh Duc to 18 years in prison and Duong Manh Hung to 20 years for human trafficking and trafficking persons under the age of 16.
Five other defendants received prison terms ranging from four to six years for organizing illegal border crossings.
The court ruled that the crimes were particularly serious, violating personal freedom and undermining the state’s immigration management, warranting severe penalties.