The number of drug arrests, including those of foreign nationals, is up this year, but total drug seizures are barely over a third of what they were last year, say the National Police.

From January to September 2014, police made 564 drug raids leading to the arrest of 1,345 people, including 44 foreigners and almost 200 women, said Lieutenant Chhay Kim Kheun, National Police chief of staff. Over the same period in 2013, police made 1,200 drug arrests, which included 32 foreigners.

Drug confiscations fell over the same period, from more than 94 kilograms to slightly under 34 kilograms this year, according to General Khieu Saman, director of the anti-drug police unit.

In the past nine months, police netted 15.7 kilograms of methamphetamine powder, 10.9 kilograms of marijuana, 7.5 kilograms of cocaine, almost 0.3 kilograms of heroin and over 3,000 kilograms of safrole oil, used in the production of Ecstasy.

Lieutenant Kheun said that police have “worked hard” to combat and reduce drug trafficking, drug production and drug use in Cambodia.