S African held for airport drug bust
ANTI-DRUG police detained a South African man at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday after a tip-off from crime agencies abroad led to the discovery of 100 plasticwrapped capsules of cocaine in his stomach, the second significant drug bust at the airport in as many weeks.
Chief of the Interior Ministry’s Anti-Drug Department In Song said the suspect, Jacobus Dawie Botha, 30, had flown from Brazil via Dubai and Bangkok before arriving in Cambodia on a morning flight.
“We received the information from an anti-drug authority abroad. We are cooperating with each other,” said Song, who did not reveal with which countries’ authorities they were working.
“We s u s p e c t e d a n d scanned him and found cocaine in his stomach.”
A senior anti-drug officer yesterday suggested the bust could be linked to Mexican cartels, however, Song said the haul was unrelated to the 1.5 kilos of cocaine seized from a Venezuelan woman at the airport two weeks ago, though acknowledged the pair both flew from Brazil.
Song said the suspect was being held at the Anti-Drug Department for further questioning before being sent to the municipal court.
However, before the man can face a hearing, Song said officers will have to wait for him to pass the entire load.
“We have let him eat so that CONTINUED