Police raid terminates alleged virginity sale

[geovalin]

Buth Reaksmey Kongkea

A 42-year-old woman was charged with procurement of prostitution on Saturday for allegedly coordinating the sale of a 16-year-old Vietnamese girl’s virginity to a man for $2,500, a senior anti-trafficking official said.

Lieutenant Colonel Keo Thea, chief of the municipal Anti-Human Trafficking and Juvenile Protection Unit, said coffeeshop owner Kao Thi Heang was arrested during a Wednesday afternoon raid in front of the Lucky Star Hotel in Tuol Kork district as she allegedly brought the victim to stay with a “rich man” for a total of five days.

“She has sold her for the price of $2,500 for having sex, for a period of five days,” he said. “Her client has managed to escape successfully from his hotel room during the raid.”

Thea said the suspect was going to sell the 16-year-old’s “purity” to her client.

After making the arrest, police transferred the girl to a rehabilitation centre.

Thea said that, according to the Law on Suppression of Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation, a guilty verdict could mean five to 10 years in prison.

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/police-raid-terminates-alleged-virginity-sale