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What happened
The owners of one of the state's largest fruit and vegetable farms were indicted late Thursday by the U.S. Department of Justice for engaging in a conspiracy to commit forced labor and visa fraud. Alec and Mike Sou of Aloun Farms Hawaii and a thai labor recruiter were charged with human trafficking conspiracy. Aloun Farms Hawaii is the state's second-largest fruit and vegetable farm, employing an estimated 200 people. But the Justice Department says some of the company's labor practices are illegal. The Sou brothers and Thai labor recruiter William Khoo are accused of devising a scheme to hire 44 Thai nationals by enticing them to come to Hawaii with false promises of lucrative jobs. According to the indictment, they maintained their labor through threats of serious economic harm. Other workers at the farm today shared details they were aware of. "This happened about a couple of weeks ago, maybe a week and a half, had couple of immigrant cards that just expired," said Donovan Tangonan, a delivery driver for the company. "Instead of letting them get to renew them - they just detained them right there." According to the indictment, the trio organized for the Thai workers to pay high recruitment fees which were financed by debts secured with the workers' family properties and homes. The indictment also charges the defendants engaged in visa fraud conspiracy and that the Sous confiscated passports and failed to honor employment contracts. Both brothers declined to comment. Workers say they aren't aware of any other problems. "Pretty much everybody here is all legal, other than that we just had a little mishap with those two people," said Tangonan. Aloun Farms annual gross sales are estimated at $8 million. If convicted, Alec and Mike Sou each face maximum sentences of 15 years in prison and Khoo faces a maximum of 10 years. This case is being investigated by the F-B-I and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement. http://www.khon2.com/news/local/story/Aloun-Farm-Owners-Face-Human-Trafficking/ArIJ-vhsZ0K_KF5ohngGeQ.cspx
Response and intervention
Police have intervened, arresting the owners of the farm, as well as the recruiter. It is unknown at this point what has happened to the 44 Thai immigrants who were brought over with the promise of lucrative jobs, then forced to work.