Two police officers in Tbong Khmum province were fired and at least one of them arrested for alleged drug trafficking in December, based on a year-old arrest warrant, according to a deputy police chief and court documents obtained yesterday.

Interior Minister Sar Kheng ordered on December 19 that policemen Kem Vannak and Prum Titya be fired for abandoning their work, but a deputy police chief, who asked not to be named, said both were sacked for drug abuse. Kheng also ordered that their salaries be halted from February onward.

Chea Choeun, provincial anti-drug bureau chief, said yesterday that Titya’s arrest was based on a warrant issued for him and Vannak by the provincial court in October 2015 for alleged drug abuse and trafficking. But according to the provincial police’s Facebook page, Titya remained free and officially employed until his arrest on December 20.

Mon Meakea, chief of staff at the police department, declined to provide further information, and details were not available yesterday on the status of Vannak’s case.

In recent weeks, top officials have publicly raised concerns about police involvement in drug crime.