More than 1,000 Vietnamese have been rescued from labor cheating rings in Cambodia, according to Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang.

Cheated Vietnamese people return to Moc Bai Border Gate, Tay Ninh Province, Vietnam. Photo: VNA

About 40% of the people have been rescued so far this month, Hang said at the press conference today [September 22], adding that further cooperation between the Vietnamese and Cambodian forces is on the way.

MOFA and related agencies will continue working with Cambodian authorities to timely conduct citizen protection work to ensure the legitimate rights of the victims, she noted.

The rescue has involved the participation of Border Guards, Police, and other forces in provinces bordering Cambodia including Kien Giang, An Giang, Tay Ninh, and Long An.

Recently, the number of Vietnamese workers attempting to flee illegal facilities in Cambodia has been on the rise. Reasons for the escape include overwork, unpaid jobs, poor working conditions, maltreatment, among others.

Most of people are involved in deceptive job offers and illegal labor contracts made by networks of middlemen. They work mostly in casinos throughout Cambodia, mostly in Phnom Penh, Svay Rieng and Kandal provinces.