A Chinese suspect, identified as Tseng Chih Hsiang, 31, was apprehended in Phnom Penh on suspicion of trafficking more than 18kg of drugs. Anti-Drug Department
One Chinese and seven Vietnamese nationals were arrested and sent to Phnom Penh Municipal Court for trafficking approximately 20kg of drugs in Phnom Penh. They are among the 199 suspects arrested for drug offenses in the first week of August.
Acting on a tip-off, the police investigated and cracked down on drug storage and trafficking operations at two locations. The first was in Chamkar Mon district’s Tonle Bassac commune.
The Chinese suspect, identified as Tseng Chih Hsiang, 31, was apprehended on suspicion of trafficking more than 18kg. The evidence included over 18.106kg of ketamine and 0.952kg of other chemicals, according to the Anti-Drug Department on August 7.
The suspect and evidence were sent to Phnom Penh Municipal Court for processing. The police are continuing to cooperate with relevant authorities to search for and arrest additional suspects and to locate property obtained through criminal activities.
The second operation was in Boeung Keng Kang district’s Boeung Keng Kang I commune.
Among the suspects were seven Vietnamese nationals, including three women, charged with drug offences involving approximately two kilogrammes.
The court has decided to charge the suspects and their accomplices with drug trafficking, in accordance with Articles 40 and 48 of the Law on Drug Control.
From August 1-7, the capital and provincial courts received 92 drug-related cases involving 249 suspects. Of those, 199 were arrested, according to the Ministry of Justice.
Lim Tong Huot, director of the National Authority for Combating Drugs’ (NACD) Department of Education and Public Relations, stated that authority has developed the app “NoDrug” to help curb drug use in Cambodia.
Additionally, he said a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was recently signed between the NACD and the Khmer Artists Association to enhance education on the effects and dangers of illicit substances.
“Signing an MoU with celebrities is effective because sending educational messages through art reaches a large audience and generates many comments,” he said.
“We make every effort to ensure that outreach and education efforts are strengthened and modernised so that messages about the dangers of drugs are delivered to the people quickly,” he added.
