The Ministry of Interior’s Anti-Drug Department on Tuesday arrested three men involved in drugs and seized 14kg of drugs in the capital’s Teuk La’ak III commune, in Tuol Kork district.

Authorities are questioning the suspects, who will be sent to Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Friday.

Meas Virith, the secretary-general of the General Secretariat of the National Authority for Combating Drugs, said on Thursday that the suspects – aged 21, 22, and 23 – were arrested on Tuesday during a raid at a karaoke parlour in Teuk La’ak.

The operation was conducted with the cooperation of deputy prosecutor Kuch Kimlong.

In Song, the department’s deputy chief in charge of administration, said police are working to identify the suspects’ accomplices, especially their ring leader.

“The three suspects are only a part of a drug operation network. Their ring leader is still at large so we’ll continue to work on the case,” he said.

Methamphetamine weighing 5,222.83g and 49,054 tablets of nimetazepam weighing 8,829.72g, which are used to mix with ecstasy, were seized in the drug bust.

On Wednesday, the anti-drug police arrested 45 people involved in 19 separate drug busts. Among those that were found and confiscated were 11 small packages of methamphetamine weighing 5,241.37g and 8,829.75g of nimetazepam.

Of the 45 arrested, 31 were suspected of drug use while 14 were confirmed users.

The drug busts were conducted in Phnom Penh and the provinces of Banteay Meanchey, Battambang, Kampong Cham, Kampong Speu, Pursat, Tbong Khmum, Siem Reap and Kandal.