Nail bar couple who trafficked teens to UK jailed
Thi Kieu Anh Hoang, 29, and Tuan Khac Doan, 38, trafficked two teenagers from Vietnam to work in a Cheshire nail bar
- Published
A couple who trafficked two teenagers from Vietnam to the UK to work in a Cheshire nail bar have been jailed.
Thi Kieu Anh Hoang, 29, and Tuan Khac Doan, 38, both of Sandfields, Frodsham, illegally brought a 14-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy into the country, Chester Crown Court heard.
Det Sgt Huxley from Cheshire Police said: "These were young, vulnerable teenagers, who thought they were coming for a better life, but instead they were being used for financial gain."
Hoang was sentenced to two years and three months and Doan was given a four-and-a-half year sentence.
Oxford visit
Both defendants had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of facilitating illegal entry to the UK.
Cheshire Police said papers showed the teenagers were brought into the country on 27 June 2023 for a two-week educational visit to Oxford, with Doan on the same flight from Vietnam.
They were given mobile phones and were in contact with Doan who officers believed arranged to bring them to Frodsham.
The boy was found when police and immigration officers visited a nail bar on Church Street, Frodsham, on 12 December to check on the welfare of staff.
Hoang, who was running the business, denied knowing him and said he had just walked in.
Checks showed he had been reported missing and Hoang was arrested.
The girl was found in a house rented by Hoang and Doan on 29 September.
Doan tried to run away with the girl to London but she called police and asked for help the next day and he was arrested.
A third person who was originally charged in relation to these offences was released with no further action against him, police said.
Det Sgt Huxley said: "It's clear that Hoang and Doan brought the two teenagers to the UK for the purpose of exploitation."
He urged anyone with information or suspicions about trafficking to contact police to "help protect the vulnerable and punish the perpetrators".
Get in touch
Tell us which stories we should cover on Merseyside
Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, external, X, external, and Instagram, external and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer.