Mon 11 Sep 2006
More human trafficking in American Samoa.
Police have broken up an alleged human trafficking ring in American Samoa, a territory of the US. The ring is suspected of promising jobs in a shop to young Chinese women who were then forced into prostitution in a nightclub in the town of Pago Pago. It is also alleged that the women were given forged visas to allow them to stay in the territory illegally. Two Chinese men have been arrested on suspicion of leading the gang, which may also be linked to Samoa and Fiji.
This is not the first major investigation into human trafficking in American Samoa. In June 2005 a garment factory owner in the territory was convicted of enslaving, starving and beating his employees. He was ordered to pay $1.8 million in restitution and sentenced to 40 years in jail.
Since then government reports have indicated that in both Samoa and American Samoa, airline and immigration officials might be colluding with traffickers.
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