Approximately 57 casino workers fled Cambodia's O-Smach Resort on Sunday, escaping what they described as forced labor conditions. The workers, armed with metal bed frame rods, overwhelmed security guards at the gated complex in Oddar Meanchey province, resulting in two injuries during the breakout.

The O-Smach Resort, located near the Cambodia-Thailand border, has been under scrutiny for alleged human trafficking and forced labor. In September, the US Department of Treasury sanctioned the facility's owner, Ly Yong Phat and his L.Y.P. Group, following serious allegations of worker exploitation.

According to US Treasury Department reports, workers were:

• Forced to work up to 15 hours daily
• Required to meet strict quotas
• Subjected to beatings if quotas weren't met
• Had their phones and passports confiscated
• Faced threats of being sold to other scam operations

The facility has been linked to multiple disturbing incidents, including:

• Workers being subjected to electric shocks
• Demands for hefty ransoms
• Two reported deaths from victims jumping from buildings
• Operation of fraudulent online gambling schemes

Most escaped workers, primarily from Nepal and Pakistan, were questioned by local police following their escape. Many now seek employment at casinos in Poipet, approximately 124 miles from O-Smach Resort.

This incident follows previous rescue operations at the resort, including one conducted in March of last year. The US Treasury Department continues to monitor the situation as part of its broader investigation into forced labor practices in Cambodian gaming establishments.

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