The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Thursday disclosed the arrest of three individuals accused of recruiting and trafficking Filipinos for work in Cambodia.

Report showed the arrest was made on 5 February after eight repatriated victims from Cambodia reported that they had been lured into a high-paying job as customer service representatives, the NBI reported.

Four of the victims positively identified the recruiters who allegedly exploited them for fraudulent work overseas.

The bureau found that the recruiters had no license to recruit for overseas employment, and a counterfeit immigration stamp was found on one of the suspects’ passports.

“Upon the victims’ arrival in Cambodia, their passports were immediately seized to prevent escape, and their movement was strictly restricted as they were confined to a compound and denied the freedom to leave,” the NBI said.

The victims said, they were allegedly “subjected to forced labor,” as they were asked to scam foreigners while under “constant threat of harm.”

This prompted them to seek the help of the Philippine Embassy in Cambodia that they were brought back to the Philippines.