Cambodian authorities have stepped up efforts to combat cross-border smuggling and customs tax evasion, with prosecutors in Battambang province charging two women in connection with the illegal importation of durians through a Thai border checkpoint.
A May 7 Battambang Provincial Court statement said the case included three different shipments of the “King of fruits”.
It explained that the shipments crossed the O’Romduol border area checkpoint, locally known as the “Kabin” crossing, in O’Romduol commune, Phnom Proek district, Battambang province, on April 17,19 and 21.
“The imports were allegedly arranged by 26-year-old suspect Prum Soknoy, also known as Yada, who currently remains at large,” said prosecutors.
“Authorities accused her of ordering durians through another suspect, 31-year-old Kroeun Saklan, who allegedly facilitated the transportation of the goods into Cambodia without customs authorisation or tax payments,” they added.
The court statement said all three shipments were concealed from customs authorities and entered the country illegally without payment of import duties.
On May 4, officers from the Battambang Provincial Police’s Economic Crime Office detained Saklan for questioning.
Soknoy was subsequently charged with “instigation to commit the smuggling of untaxed goods” under Article 28 of the Criminal Code and Article 75 of the Law on Customs.
Saklan and several as-yet unidentified accomplices were charged with the direct offence of smuggling untaxed goods under Article 75 of the Law on Customs.
The case comes as Cambodian authorities continue tightening enforcement against the illegal cross-border trade, particularly those involving agricultural products entering through unofficial or loosely monitored border routes.
Officials have warned that smuggling activities not only deprive the state of customs revenue but also undermine fair competition with businesses and importers who obey the law.