Based on information from Australian authorities, anti-terrorism police arrested a Nigerian man, a French woman and an Australian woman on Wednesday for allegedly attempting to smuggle two kilograms of heroin from Cambodia to Australia.

A senior anti-terrorism police official at the Ministry of Interior, who asked not to be named, said that officers led by Brigadier General Ouk Hay Seila, deputy director of the Anti-Terrorism Department, and Phnom Penh Municipal Court vice prosecutor Hor Lina arrested Nigerian national Precious Chineme Nwoko, 24, French national Charlene Savarino, 19, and Australian Yoshe Ann Paylor, 41.

“Our police spent over three months investigating and researching them,” the official said yesterday.

The three suspects were preliminarily charged with possessing, transporting and trafficking drugs, and will be sent to Phnom Penh Municipal Court for official charges today, he continued.

“If they are found guilty by the court, they will each face punishments of at least 30 years, and up to a life sentence in prison in Cambodia,” he added.

The official said Savarino and Paylor were arrested on Wednesday afternoon while checking in at the Phnom Penh International Airport, and information gleaned from their interrogation led to the arrest of Nwoko at a rental house in Chamkarmon district that night.

Police are still seeking another Nigerian man suspected of being involved and thought to be currently in Phnom Penh.