The 45-year-old owner of a karaoke parlour was arrested on charges of human trafficking and detention of persons under the age of 18, following a tip-off from a relative of one of the victims.
“She called her parents and asked for help. After investigation, we obtained a search warrant and raided the place. We found and rescued 41 women,” said Pol Lt Komvich Padhanarath.
The women, who were working in the tourist town of Sungai Golok near the border with Malaysia, were aged between 16 and 23 years.
“They said they were told by the broker that they would come to work as waitresses with a high salary but they ended up being forced into prostitution. Their passports were seized by the owner,” Komvich said.
Sungai Golok is one of the main human trafficking destinations with more than 100 brothels, police said.
–AFP