An American national and two Cambodian women were sentenced yesterday by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court to three years in prison each after being found guilty of both drug trafficking and drug usage.

Andrew Howard, a 46-year-old American tourist, Sreng Kunthea, 20, and Chheng Sok Leakhena, 25, were also ordered to pay fines of 8 million riel (US $2,000) each. “Based on the hearing and the drugs confiscated from the three suspects, the court has found them guilty,” presiding judge at the court Kor Vandy said.

Sreng Kunthea was arrested on March 16, at a night club in the Capital’s Daun Penh district and found to be in possession of four packages of methamphetamine.

Answers provided by Sreng Kunthea led to the arrest of Andrew Howard and his girlfriend, Chheng Sok Leakhena, on the same day at the Newcastle Guesthouse, also in the Daun Penh district, where police seized two packages of methamphetamine and several items of paraphernalia.

“I have no comments. I will appeal to the Court of Appeals,” Howard said yesterday. Sreng Kunthea and Chheng Sok Leakhena could not be reached for comment.