Two Chinese men convicted of trafficking 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine and pre­cursor chemicals were sen­tenced yesterday to eight years each by the Phnom Penh Mun­­­icipal Court.

Kor Vandy, the presiding judge, said that Tu Wei Jun, 27, and Lin Zhi Long, 26, were arrested on November 1 of last year in a hotel in Boeung Prolit commune in Phnom Penh’s Prampi Makara district.

“The defen­dants can [now] file with the Appeal Court,” he said.

Zhi Long pleaded inno­cent, Pan Sopheap, but the milit­ary police officer who con­ducted the drug bust, disagre­ed, saying his presence was not simply a coincidence.

The defendants and lawyer couldn’t be reached yesterday.

To contact the reporter on this story: Lieng Sarith at [email protected]