Dozens arrested over drug activity

THE Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Monday charged a 34-year-old man for drug trafficking in relation to the importation of 15.358kg of drugs from Thailand.

Seng Khunnang, an office chief at the Interior Ministry’s Anti-Drug Department, identified the accused as Phy Sophal. He was sent to court on Sunday morning.

After conducting a thorough investigation, Phnom Penh Municipal Court deputy prosecutor Say Nora and Anti-Drug Department deputy director Ek Siphalla led police to arrest the suspect on Thursday at 9pm in a rented room in the capital’s Sen Sok district, he said.

During the operation, police seized 15.358kg of methamphetamine, two scales and a motorbike.

“We questioned him and he confessed that the drugs were imported from Thailand,” Khunnang said, adding that the suspect was sent to the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Sunday, with police continuing the search for his accomplices.

Court spokesman Kuch Kimlong said the accused was charged with drug trafficking under Article 40 of the Law on Drug Control and was sent to an investigating judge.

In separate incidents, the National Police said 43 people were arrested in 23 drug cases across the country on Sunday. Of the number, eight men were drug dealers and 35 users.

Police confiscated about 15kg of methamphetamine and 26 small packages of other related drugs in Battambang, Kampot, Kandal, Pursat, Siem Reap, Svay Rieng and Phnom Penh.

Phnom Penh Municipal Police chief Sar Thet said on Sunday that to solve the drugs problem, the authorities must take effective action, otherwise, drugs will destroy the future of Cambodian youth.

“Drugs harm the future of our human resources and cause security issues,” he said, adding that parents should instruct their children to stay away from drugs or risk facing legal action.