Men arrested for posing as monks
FIV E men appeared at Preah Sihanouk prov incia l court on Monday charged with posing as monks in a scam designed to collect money for a lcohol and drugs.
Prey Nop district police chief Huor Yai told The Post t hat t he suspects were arrested on Sunday evening at a guesthouse in t he dist r ict’s O’Taporng v illage.
He named Sok Raksmey, a 36-yearold from Kampot prov ince’s Dang Tong district, as t he chief suspect, and Chi Pheak, 27, Khat Yun, 25, Meas Sira, 17, and Sov Mitt, 16, as his four accomplices.
Yai said loca l police received a tipoff from the guesthouse owner, saying five monks had rented a room for a week, leav ing the guesthouse each day and returning in the evening.
“After receiving the report, I sent of- ficers to monitor them, and three days later, after collecting enough evidence, authorities decided to arrest them at the guesthouse for questioning.
“After questioning the men in the presence of Prey Nop district deput y monk chief Chhem Yuth, we realised that they were imposters and were cheating people to get money to pay for a lcohol and drugs,” Yai said.
Chhem Yuth confirmed to The Post that the men were not ordained monks, adding: “They should be punished because they have cheated people and harmed the state religion.”
The district’s deput y police chief in charge of combating drugs, Chhun Ratanak, said aut horities ordered the men to disrobe before they were brought for urine tests after drug paraphernalia was discovered at the guesthouse.
All five suspects’ urine contained traces of illicit substances, according to Ratanak.
“Evidence against the group includes drug consumption dev ices and five sets of monks’ robes. Each suspect was charged with two counts i n relation to posing as a monk – damaging the state religion and fraud. They were sent to Preah Sihanouk prov incia l court on Mon- day morning for further procedures,” Ratanak said.
Preah Sihanouk prov incia l court spokesman Lem Bunheng told The Post on Monday that the suspects had a lready arrived at court and would be subject to f urt her questioning.