Scores of marijuana plants were seized by police in Kampong Speu province’s Phnom Sruoch district on Saturday morning.

Pov Noeun, district deputy police chief said yesterday that 171 marijuana plants were discovered after villagers informed the police.

“We uprooted 171 marijuana plants that were planted among other plants in the farm in order to hide them” he said.

Noeun said that the owner has not been arrested because he lives in Takeo province.

“We are searching for the owner to arrest him.

We are keeping the plants at the district police station – we do not know yet when we will destroy them,” he added.

Authorities will take legal action against the owner, but Noeun declined to comment on what specific charges would be brought.

“We still have to investigate, so I cannot tell you in detail,” he said, adding that this is the first marijuana bust carried out in Phnom Sruoch district this year.

In June, nearly 8,000 marijuana plants were burned after a massive crop was found hidden among sesame plants in Pursat province.