Charges against a man accused of playing a role in trafficking about three kilograms of amphetamines from Dubai to Phnom Penh were dropped yesterday, but charges against his boss remained.

Ek Chheng Huoth, deputy prosecutor of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, said there was no proof that Cambodian-American Yim Rithy, 37, was part of the March 21 smuggling.

“The representing prosecutor has seen that Yim Rithy was not involved as accused. So it is dropping the charges against him,” Ek Chheng Huoth said.

He maintained Okeke Ugo­chukwu Emmanuel, 39, president of Cambodia’s Nigerian Association, was the owner of luggage in which drugs had been found at Phnom Penh International Airport in March.

Ek Chheng Huoth said charges remained against Auxillo Math Eaiheressa Dayanan, 26, a woman from the Philippines, and another woman, Heng Mey, 34, accused of being accomplices.

“The prosecutor found there was enough evidence to accuse Okeke of international drug trafficking. So I would like to maintain the charges against him and ask the court to punish him.” All four have repeatedly denied smuggling the drugs.

Major Yeng Bunna, an officer at the Ministry of Interior’s Anti-Drug Police Office, said Okeke and Auxillo Math Eaiheressa Dayanan were members of an international drug-trafficking syndicate in Dubai.

He said that on March 20, police received information about their activities from US anti-drug police based in Dubai.

They arrested Auxillo Math Eaiheressa Dayanan next day at Phnom Penh International Airport after finding 2.969 kilograms of amphetamines in the luggage she was carrying.