Thirty Vietnamese nationals found working illegally at a furniture shop in Phnom Penh’s Chbar Ampov district were on Wednesday arrested by immigration police, an official said.
Uk Heisela, chief of investigations at the Interior Ministry’s immigration department, said the 24 men and six women, aged between 20 and 50, were arrested in Prek Pra commune at a shop where they assembled metal furniture.
“This morning, 20 of our police arrested 30 Vietnamese, [some] for illegally living here. Also, some did not have work documents and they have been in Cambodia just a short time,” he said.
Of those arrested, 18 did not have passports and 12 had passports but no work permits, Major General Heisela said, adding that the 12 without work permits would be allowed to stay in the country if they stopped working.
“Those who did not have work documents will be fined 500,000 riel [about $125] each and the Vietnamese living here illegally will be deported soon,” he said.
According to Maj. Gen. Heisela, the immigration department has deported 1,487 Vietnamese nationals in the past seven months.
