The capital’s Military Police has been successful in cracking down on crimes – marking a decrease last year compared to 2017, according to its commander.

Phnom Penh Municipal Military Police commander Rath Sreang made the statement at the 2018 Results and 2019 Goals Meeting on Friday at Phnom Penh Municipal Military Police Base.

The meeting was also attended by Sao Sokha, National Military Police commander and Royal Cambodian Armed Forces deputy commander; Khuong Sreng, Phnom Penh Municipal Board Governor; and Military Police officials, Phnom Penh Municipal Police and local authorities.

Rath Sreang, who is also National Military Police deputy commander, said there were only 726 cases in the capital last year up to December 5, compared to 796 in 2017 up to December 6. However, crackdowns numbered 634 last year, compared to 601 in 2017, over the same periods.

Last year, Phnom Penh Municipal Military Police arrested 1,331 people while 1,122 were sent to court and 106 transferred to the proper institutions. Another 103 were educated and released.

Sreang said it seized three AK47 rifles, 13 pistols, 27 cars, 296 motorbikes, 1,621 packages of methamphetamine (8.49882kg) and other drug substances.

“Phnom Penh Municipal Military Police operations are successful and positive in terms of leadership, crime crackdown and other tasks serving the people and society as a whole, and have especially responded to 10 of [Hun Sen’s] calls,” he said.

He brought up an internet transnational extortion and kidnapping case in which 25 Thai and four Taiwanese suspects were apprehended, a crackdown on methamphetamine (7.2571kg) traffickers in which nine people were arrested and two pistols were seized and handed to Svay Rieng provincial Military Police for further procedures and numerous other crackdowns of bag-snatchers and drug-related cases.

Experts and municipal Military Police in all 12 districts [of Phnom Penh] have intercepted dozen of cases. Though some were misdemeanours, they often caused tragedy for people and authorities – even death, severe injury, disabilities or loss of property – the people are really sick of it!” he said.