Approximately 57 casino workers fled Cambodia's O-Smach Resort on Sunday, escaping what has been described as a forced labor operation. The workers, reportedly from Nepal and Pakistan, used metal bed frame rods to fight their way past security guards, resulting in two injuries during the escape.

The O-Smach Resort, located near the Cambodia-Thailand border, was sanctioned by the US Department of Treasury in September after allegations of human trafficking and forced labor emerged against owner Ly Yong Phat and his L.Y.P. Group.

According to US government reports and Radio Free Asia investigations, workers at the complex endured:

• 15-hour workdays
• Strict performance quotas
• Physical abuse and electric shocks
• Confiscation of phones and passports
• Threats of being sold to other scam operations
• Sexual trafficking

The resort, which operates both traditional and online gambling, has been under police investigation between 2022 and 2024. Multiple victims reported being lured with false employment opportunities, with some attempting desperate escapes. Two deaths were reported from victims jumping from resort buildings.

Local authorities previously conducted rescue operations, including one in March. The escaped workers, after being questioned by police, are reportedly seeking employment at casinos in Poipet, approximately 124 miles from O-Smach Resort.

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