A high speed car chase in Kampong Cham province ended with one of the Kingdom’s largest drug seizures on March 14.

As part of an ongoing anti-drug operation, the authorities intercepted a convoy of three Lexus SUVs as they passed through Trapeang Preah commune, in Prey Chhor district, but when signalled to halt, the offenders fled at high speed.

The chase continued down National Road 7, ending in Sragnae commune, when officers managed to stop one of the vehicles.

The two occupants of the vehicle reportedly escaped, as did the other two Lexuses.

When the police searched the recovered vehicle, they were stunned to discover an almost half-tonne treasure trove of narcotics.

The seizure included 18 cartons containing 431 packages which contained 429 kilogrammes of methamphetamine, ketamine and opium resin.

According to a March 18 statement from the prosecutor’s office of the Kampong Cham Provincial Court, two suspects were taken into custody the following day.

The pair were charged the same day, with the illegal transportation of narcotic substances and participation in a criminal organisation. They have been remanded to prison ahead of their trial.

Their accomplices remain at large.

A March report from the National Police revealed that the would-be getaway drivers were not the only one charged for serious drug offending that day.

As a result of 23 anti-drug operations, 52 suspects faced the courts, with 10 cases related to trafficking and 13 to possession. More than 520 kilogrammes of drugs were seized across all cases, including the over-loaded Lexus.

The captured narcotics included more than 312 kilogrammes of methamphetamine or “ice”, nearly 117 kilogrammes of methamphetamine pills (Wy), over 91 kilogrammes of heroin and small quantities of other drugs.