Three Men Charged in Human Trafficking Conspiracy for Exploiting Thai Farm Workers in Hawaii
WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The Justice Department announced the indictment of Alec Souphone Sou and Mike Mankone Sou, owners of Aloun Farm in Hawaii, and Thai labor recruiter William Khoo late yesterday for engaging in a conspiracy to commit forced labor and visa fraud. The charges arise from the defendants’ alleged scheme to coerce the labor and services of Thai nationals brought by the defendants to Hawaii to work under the federal agricultural guest worker program. Both Sou defendants are also charged with conspiring to commit document servitude.
The charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. If convicted, Alec and Mike Sou each face maximum sentences of 15 years in prison and William Khoo faces a maximum of 10 years in prison.
Hawai’i’s $125 million agricultural export industry could be threatened by hitchhiking insects and other pests found on fresh flower, foliage and fruit shipments arriving in California.
Budget cuts have left California with fewer inspectors and made that state more prone to slap sanctions on importers when pests are discovered. Hawai’i may also lose inspectors if the state lays off workers in November as planned to balance its budget.
Five key agricultural officials sent a warning letter this month to hundreds of Hawai’i growers and shippers who sell flowers, foliage, herbs, vegetables, potted nursery products and fruit, alerting them to the potential risk of not cleaning up their shipments.
"Anyone that currently ships to California can be the ‘last straw’ that triggers the decision by California to impose severe restrictions on the movement of all products from Hawai’i into the California market," the letter states.
Business Update on Hawaii’s Agriculture Written by Sunrise on KGMB9 – sunrise@kgmb9.com
August 27, 2009 07:02 AM
Balance reporting on Hawaii’s recession requires reports on industries that are still growing in these times. That includes the business of growing seed for mainland farmers.
Mark Phillipson is the new GM for the Hawaii operations of Syngenta. He joined KGMB9’s Howard Dicus Thursday morning.[flv image=”https://hawaii-agriculture.com/newblog/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/2009_08_27_Syngenta_flv.JPG”]https://hawaii-agriculture.com/newblog/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/2009_08_27_Syngenta_flv.flv[/flv]
Monsanto Corn Click for larger imageKIHEI – Five Maui County students were among the recipients of the 2009 Monsanto Hawaii Life Sciences Scholarship. Ten $1,000 scholarships were distributed in Hawaii.
The Maui County recipients were Celina Hayashi, who graduated from King Kekaulike High School; Elizabeth Lagbas, Lahainaluna High; Colton Manley, Molokai High; Tiare Pimentel, Baldwin High; and Myles Tabios, Lahainaluna.
This annual scholarship is offered to students of all Hawaii high schools who will pursue postsecondary education in a discipline related to the life sciences. Examples are agriculture, agronomy, biology, botany, genetics, horticulture, plant physiology, chemistry, crop science and soil science.
MANILA is hopeful that it can begin exporting mangoes outside of Guimaras to the mainland United States in 2010 after it completes a survey of mango-producing areas in the Philippines this month.
Speaking of animal quarantine policies, they exist not only in many foreign destinations, but also in the state of Hawaii. Further information is available at hawaii.gov/hdoa/ai/aqs/info.
Hawai’i’s $125 million agricultural export industry could be threatened by hitchhiking insects and other pests found on fresh flower, foliage and fruit shipments arriving in California.
