The owner of a Siem Reap karaoke club was charged in provincial court yesterday with drug trafficking after a military police raid allegedly uncovered half a kilogram of methamphetamine at the venue.

Im Sona, 25, owner of the Ponleu Thmey Karaoke Club in Siem Reap province’s Sala Kamroeuk commune, was sent to the provincial prison yesterday to await trial.

Colonel Srey Youra, deputy commander of the Siem Reap Provincial Military Police, said yesterday that Sona had peddled the addictive drug.

“He was arrested when our provincial military police raided his karaoke shop on June 2. He was arrested while he was selling drugs to drug users inside his shop,” he said.

“The drug users were not arrested because they escaped while the police raided.”

Police seized 10 packages of the drug from Sona, related drug paraphernalia and a car, Youra added. Sona could not be reached for comment.