A soldier with the 911 paratrooper brigade was tried on charges of drug use and trafficking and illegal weapons possession by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday.

Defendant Chhouk Chamroeun, 36, was arrested in November in Por Sen Chey district, allegedly while in possession of 3.28 grams of methamphetamine, two pistols and drug paraphernalia.

Chamroeun admitted to being a drug user in court, but denied the other charges, maintaining the drugs had been planted by an undercover policeman.

“He brought the drugs and came into the room with me, and he left the drugs in the room while I was sleeping,” he said.

As for the pistols, Chamroeun told the court he was licensed to own one. The other he had taken off of a fellow soldier who had misused it, and was planning on returning it to their unit commander when he was arrested.

Defence attorney Ly Somborith asked the judge for a lighter sentence.

A verdict will be announced on July 14.