Police in Kampong Thom province’s Kampong Svay district yesterday shut down a running game of apong – or spinning dice – seizing nine motorbikes and two cars, but making no arrests.

According to district police chief Khen Chhunker, authorities received a tip-off from four husbands, angry their wives had become obsessed with the game to the exclusion of their housework.

“When authorities arrived at the gambling compound, the players collected the money and disappeared, leaving behind the evidence”, including the cloth wrap for the apong and even their shoes, Chhunker said, who added that a brief was being prepared for the provincial prosecutor to take further action.

Chhunker said one of the alleged players was the wife of the commune police chief. Another officer, however, said the woman had just gone to the game to collect on a debt.