Human trafficking is still a big problem in Macau, Hong Kong newspaper says

South China Morning Post examines US State Department report on "minimum standards" in the fight against human trafficking and discovers, on the spot, the territory's saunas and nightclubs business.

After the US exposed the problem in its latest State Department report on human trafficking, putting Macao in a bad spot, considering the territory does not meet the "minimum standards" required, an investigation conducted by the South China Morning Post (SCMP) have found prostitution network belonging to casinos operating in the city.

This Week in Asia report refers that "hundreds of young people from southwestern mainland China are drawn to casinos with the promise of modeling or waitress jobs" find that the reality of their arrival in Macao is completely different from what they had been promised, being left with no way to escape this reality, surrendered to a life of prostitution.

The truth is that prostitution is legal in Macao and has always been closely linked to gambling. However, the law prohibits the existence of an organization behind such prostitution, prohibiting the commercial profit of the phenomenon, with penalties of up to eight years in prison.

In what appears to be a clear contradiction of the law, SCMP reporters recently traveled to Macau and visited eight of the city's hundreds of saunas to prove that prostitution networks are still active in the territory, the only place where the game is allowed in China.

Nevertheless, despite the discovery of an important prostitution network at the Hotel Lisboa in 2014, involving Alan Ho, nephew of gaming tycoon Stanley Ho, the problem remains latent in the city. Not even the speech by Chinese President Xi Jinping on the 15th anniversary of Macao's return to Chinese rule, which called for "a more family-friendly environment" for Macao, seems to have changed the city's redder paradigm.

For example, at Endearing at Galaxy or Wang Fu at Star World, employees negotiated the "release" of a sex worker for $ 6,800 Hong Kong. Also in nightclubs operated by the Emperor group, a Hong Kong listed Stock Exchange company, similar activity was discovered.

The investigation comes at a crucial time for the gambling industry in the former Portuguese enclave, which marks the 20th anniversary of its return to Chinese rule in December, while casino dealers expect their licenses to be renewed or revoked over the next year.