A Phnom Penh municipal judge yesterday sentenced two convicted methamphetamine traffickers to four years in prison in a case that dates back nearly a year.

Wang Zhon Ghua, 57, of China and Nguyen Thiyung, 50, of Vietnam were also ordered to each pay fines of four million riel ($1,000) following their July 2012 arrest, when police found them selling about a half-kilogram of  methamphetamine in Phnom Penh’s Boeung Keng Kang II commune.

“They both have the right to appeal to the upper court if they do not agree with this court’s decision,” Judge Kim Dany added.

Anti-drug police arrested both men when they found Zhon Ghua bringing about 43 grams of methamphetamine to Thiyung on the street, said Phnom Penh Municipal Judge Te Sam Ang.

A subsequent search of Zhon Ghua’s room at the Paradise Hotel in Prampei Makara district’s  Monorom commune turned up more of the drugs.

Altogether, police found about a half-kilogram of methamphetamine along with drug paraphernalia including scales, judge Sam Ang said.

Both men denied any involvement in drug trafficking during their trial on June 10. At that time, both claimed the anti-drug police planted the drugs on them.

“I was not trafficking drugs, I was not aware about these drugs seized from me or from my room,” Zhon Ghua said at the trial.

“I was only the victim of accusation and arrest, I would like to ask the court to release me.”