A New Year’s Eve shootout between police and drug dealers has led to the arrest of two men allegedly in possession of $1,000 worth of methamphetamines in Kampong Cham.

Captain Sem Kheng, chief of the provincial anti-drug military police unit in Kampong Cham, said the police descended on the residence of the known drug smugglers on Tuesday evening.

“They were old targets of ours. They were arrested for smuggling drugs from Phnom Penh to Kampong Cham Province with intention to sell,” he said.

The two men captured have been identified as 23-year-old Huoth Thai and 27-year-old Tin Zary.

During the raid, the men attempted to flee and began driving away before shots were fired.

“The ringleader, who was carrying a pistol, jumped from the car after we had shot at it to stop them from driving away and we arrested two of them, one escaped,” the chief said.

One of the suspects was shot in the hip by police and is in a stable condition in the provincial hospital.

Police seized 24 grams of meth from the men, which has a street value of $1,000.

“The men were initially accused by our military police with possession of drugs and trafficking drugs. They will face the provincial court on Thursday,” Captain Sem Kheng said.

The police are now looking for the third man, who fled the scene.