Military Police forces in Takeo district on Friday destroyed 845 marijuana plants in Kirivong district’s Purong village. However, the owner of the plants is said to have escaped.

Nget Chanthy, deputy commander of Takeo’s Military Police, said on Sunday that the plants were cut and burned.

About 200 metres of tubing used as a watering system were also destroyed by officers. ‘My forces burned down the marijuana plants,’ he said, adding that the owner who planted them escaped before police arrived.

An investigation is being launched in order to locate the suspect responsible for growing the plants, said the National Military Police on its Facebook page. Since February, 94,126 marijuana plants have been destroyed in Kirivong district. Fifty wells used for watering marijuana plants have also been destroyed.