Up in smoke

A pickup truck transporting 166 kilograms of marijuana was seized by authorities in Kampong Thom province early yesterday morning, though no arrests were made, military police said.

The dried leaf, contained in five large bags, along with the vehicle have been sent to the provincial court, said Khun Bunhor, military police commander in Baray district.

According to Bunhor, a driver and passenger managed to escape.

“There were two suspects who ran away,” said Bunhor, who said police had received authorisation to set up a checkpoint after receiving a tip that a car suspected to contain illicit drugs had left Preah Vihear and was headed toward Phnom Penh.

At roughly 2:30am, the truck ran the checkpoint, he continued, after which a brief chase ensued.

In the course of the chase, two other vehicles blocked the pursuit, allowing the suspects in the pickup to abandon the vehicle and disappear into the nearby jungle.