Japanese police arrested 12 men on Monday upon their return from Cambodia for allegedly operating phone scams, following claims from some that they were victims of forced labor in the Southeast Asian nation.
The 12 men were working at a casino in Cambodia’s Svay Rieng province, where local police conducted a search following reports of abusive labor practices. The case came to light after some of the men sought assistance from the Japanese embassy in Phnom Penh.
The men had been in protective custody with Cambodian police since August before being flown back to Japan. They arrived at Haneda and Narita airports on Monday morning.
