Former Banteay Meanchey Provincial Police Chief Hun Hean was sentenced to four years in prison and fined almost US$320,000 yesterday for using his position to solicit thousands of dollars of bribes from drug traffickers each month.

Provincial Court presiding judge Im Vanak handed down jail terms to five of the province’s former high ranking officials for drug-related corruption, including Hun Hean’s former deputy Chheang Son, who was also sentenced to four-years in prison and fined US$10,400.

“The court has convicted them in accordance with the laws based on their main responsibilities and roles and their confessions,” he said.

Former provincial deputy chief of the Criminal Police Office Hem Sophal was handed a three year sentence commuted to one while the provinces former deputy chief of the Anti-Drug Trafficking Office, Khieu Sara, was also given a three-year jail sentence of which he will serve only six months, Im Vanak said.

They were fined $3,200 and $400, respectively, while former provincial chief of the police communications office, Morm Doeun, was sentenced in absentia, having escaped, to three years in jail and fined $64,000.

Court officials will now focus their attention on former Secretary-General of the National Authority for Combating Drugs Moek Dara and former Chief of the Anti-Drug Office in Ministry of Interior Chea Leng.

“The hearing of Moek Dara and Chea Leng will take place on Thursday this week. The court will be taking long days to work on their case,” he said.