Here in Cambodia, Immigration has been busy again lately. They announced they'd rounded up 21 Vietnamese nationals, including 8 women. These folks had a whole host of problems: some had entered illegally, others were working on expired visas, some were involved with drugs, and there was even a case of illegal detention. Naturally, this got tongues wagging around town.
Following Deputy Prime Minister Sar Sokha's directive on September 11th, Immigration wasted no time. All 21 individuals were sent straight back to Vietnam through the Bavet International Border Checkpoint in Svay Rieng province. An official mentioned that they'll continue to target foreign lawbreakers, particularly those involved in online scams, and deport them without hesitation.
Honestly, this kind of thing isn't new on the streets of Phnom Penh. There are plenty of people working illegally here, especially in smaller factories and shops that hire undocumented workers to save a buck. But Cambodia's getting much stricter now, and the police are doing checks all the time. For those trying to make a living here without legal status, it's a constant worry, always afraid they'll be picked up one night. You can almost feel the anxiety in the air, even amidst the motorbike fumes.
