A man was sent to the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on November 21 after being arrested while packaging drugs in Phnom Penh’s Sen Sok district.

The arrest also led to a raid at his rental home in Por Sen Chey district, where the National Police’s anti-drug department officers seized nearly 50kg of methamphetamine and other drugs allegedly packaged for export abroad.

Anti-drug department director Lek Vannak on November 22 said the suspect, 35, was sent to court on November 21 to begin legal proceedings.

He said the suspect was caught on November 18 while packaging drugs in Sen Sok district’s Phnom Penh Thmei commune. Police at the time confiscated two packages of methamphetamine weighing about 100 grammes.

After questioning, the police searched his room in Por Sen Chey district’s Chaom Chao commune and seized more than 40kg of methamphetamine, or Ice, as well as 302 grammes of Ecstasy and 77 grammes of the hypnotic drug Nimetazepam.

“I cannot estimate how much it is worth because we have to consider product prices, material prices, export prices and wholesale and retail prices. So we are still researching the value of the drugs.

"[The suspect] used these drugs for export and distributed them to certain countries abroad. He also kept some to distribute locally, and we are searching for any relevant accomplices,” Vannak said.

Municipal court spokesman Kuch Kimlong could not be reached for comment on November 22.

According to the anti-drug department report, the crackdown in Phnom Penh Thmei commune was ordered by National Police chief Neth Savoeun and his deputy Mak Chito.

Chito is also in charge of the National Authority for Combating Drugs (NACD).

The raid was coordinated by deputy prosecutor Plang Sophal.