A Vietnamese teenage boy, who was recently rescued by a group of compatriots after being trafficked to Cambodia, said he was forced to work for an online gambling racket where he was mistreated and tortured by means of an electric shock.

Le Hoang Quoc C., 17, hailing from the Mekong Delta province of An Giang, was sold to Cambodia in March.

After hearing of C.’s story from his father, a group of Vietnamese nationals decided to travel to Cambodia and free the boy by paying his enslaver US$4,000.

He was brought back to his home in Binh Duc Ward, Long Xuyen City on June 30.

Days after being rescued, C. was still frightened as he recalled his horrifying time in Cambodia.

C. said he met a woman named Nhi on social media, who instructed him to travel to Ho Chi Minh City to apply for a passport.

About three days later, a group of people took C, along with three other individuals about his age, to Cambodia through Moc Bai Border Gate in southern Tay Ninh Province.

In Cambodia, he worked for an online gambling ring and was tasked with seeking out gamblers and convincing them to spend as much as possible.

“We needed to make sure that the gambling site generated at least VND1.5 billion [$64,100] of revenue each month,” C. recounted.

“If we didn’t reach our daily targets, we were treated very badly.”

C. was paid $450 in his first month and $380 in his second as he completed his tasks quite well.

However, he was beaten and tortured during his third month because he failed to meet the target.

“The most terrifying moment was when they cuffed my hands and legs and tortured me with an electric shock,” C. said.

“I fainted three times before deciding to call my family and ask for help.”

The boy was forced to sign a document admitting that he had violated the work contract.

C.’s employer told his family they would have to pay a VND160 million ($6,840) fine for that contract breach.

Senior Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Huu Tho, an official from the An Giang Department of Public Security, confirmed that the agency had collected C.’s statements to facilitate an investigation into the case.

Officers have been unable to identify Nhi as C. could not provide much information about the woman, Tho continued.

Police in An Giang are also working with their counterparts in southern Dong Nai Province to handle several similar cases.

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