The case of three Kyrgyz citizens caught while attempting to cross into Kyrgyzstan from China without documents has drawn attention to the detention of as many as 100 Kyrgyz by Chinese businesspeople, to whom the Kyrgyz reportedly owe money. According to the three Kyrgyz detained on the border, the debtors are being forced by their Chinese creditors to work as slaves. The three told officials they had to perform heavy labor for periods from seven months to three years. Their passports had been taken away by their creditors. The Kyrgyz border service has told the media that it does not consider the three to be criminals and expects more of the Kyrgyz \"slaves\" to try to enter Kyrgyzstan the same way. (Deutsche Welle)