Provincial police in Takeo are investigating the March 8 shooting death of a suspected drug dealer in the wake of a complaint filed by his parents, officials said yesterday.

Hoeun Suytry was killed on March 8 by a provincial police officer in Takeo’s Samrong district amid an ongoing nationwide crackdown.

“We have opened an investigation according to the law,” Takeo police chief Ouk Samnang said yesterday of the case, before declining further comment as he was attending the funeral of deputy prime minister Sok An.

Takeo court spokesman Phan Sopheak said they were waiting for the police report before taking action.

Trapaing Veng village chief Meas Suon, meanwhile, said he believed Suytry to have been a drug mule, though his parents insisted “he was no longer involved with drugs since the beginning of the drug crackdown”. Suytry was shot once behind the ear, he added.

Suytry’s parents could not be reached for comment yesterday, but legal expert Sok Samoeun, said the call for a probe was appropriate. “[If the police] knew clearly that the suspect did not have a weapon, [the shooter] can be charged with intentional killing,” he said.