KTV night raid nets 93, large amount of drugs
PHNOM Penh municipal police arrested 93 people and seized a large quantity of drugs during a raid at a KTV in Phsar Depot I commune, in Tuol Kork district.
The raid was carried out under the orders of municipal police chief Sar Thet at 1am on Wednesday.
Phnom Penh municipal police minor crimes bureau chief Bun Satya led the operation.
Satya told The Post on Wednesday that a large amount of drugs and many new cars were taken to the Phnom Penh municipal police office. He said police are still questioning everyone.
“We have not accused or found anyone related to the drugs yet, but the work is not over. We have not released any of the 93 people yet,” he said.
Tuol Kork district police chief Sok Heng told The Post the KTV is suspended temporarily.
Phsar Depot I commune chief Pov Samoch said the venue was previously a KTV and was turned into a restaurant because of the Covid-19 requirement by the government. She said local authorities had checked the restaurant and its paperwork many times.
“It used to be a KTV. The ownership changed and the place was renovated. It planned to reopen as a KTV, but then it was changed to a restaurant. There was no problem, so I do not know how it turned out this way.
“The owner of the building is Cambodian and the space is rented to a Chinese to open this business,” Samoch said.
People’s Centre for Development and Peace president Yong Kim Eng said he appreciated the work of the police, especially the confiscation of drugs.
He said it is a must to prohibit illegal KTVs because it is a Covid-19 concern, but many are still secretly open. Kim Eng said it is important for safety to take the matter seriously.
“It can cause many infections like in other countries and it will be more serious. We are facing Covid-19 and people are facing problems. If drugs do not decrease, it will become another heavy burden,” he said.