Police have arrested a husband and wife in Xieng Khouang Province on charges of prostitution and human trafficking.
Mr. Boun, a 53-year-old man and his 44-year-old wife, Mrs. Duangchan, were found holding four underaged women who had been trafficked from Luang Prabang Province.
The couple told police that members of a trafficking network in Luang Prabang had contacted them, claiming that the young women were looking for opportunities to work in prostitution.
The young women were brought to work as servers at entertainment venues with a salary of LAK 1,000,000 per month.
The victims said the couple had forced them to escort guests before they reached out to authorities for help.
The Xieng Khouang Regional People’s Court sentenced Mr. Boun and Mrs. Duangchan to 15 years imprisonment and a fine of LAK 100 million each.
Human trafficking remains a major problem in Laos, both at the local and international levels.
