Kampong Thom authorities on Wednesday questioned 11 men after they were arrested on Monday for allegedly gambling on dice games and cockfights in Doung commune’s Kruos village in Prasat Balang district.
During the raid, authorities confiscated 59 motorbikes and 11 roosters.
Phon Sophal, the crime bureau chief at the provincial Military Police station said on Wednesday that he is waiting on orders from the prosecutor to decide whether to send them to the provincial court or educate and release them.
“If the prosecutor orders [us] to send them to court, we will do so,” he said.
Sophal said the authorities investigated the men because gambling can affect social order and it violated village and commune policies.
The owners of the 59 motorbikes escaped when authorities arrived, he said, adding that addictive gamblers tend to be greedy and become irritated when they lose money, which can lead to violence or even murder.
“When they lose money and they cannot steal other people’s property, they steal property at home to gamble. Sometimes, this also causes domestic violence,” he said.
