The ministries of Interior and Justice are set to destroy over 540 tonnes of unauthorised products and illegal medicines in Phnom Penh’s Dangkor district on Thursday.

Justice minister Koeut Rith will ceremoniously light up 533 tonnes of unapproved products and 7.7 tonnes of illegal medicines that have been seized by the interior ministry’s Counter Counterfeit Committee (CCC), as pursuant to a municipal court order, the CCC said in a press release dated November 3.

The event will take place at the Dangkor dumpsite in Choeung Ek commune in the presence of ministry officials, representatives of relevant institutions, diplomats, local authorities, civil servants and the private sector, the CCC said.

Justice ministry spokesman Chin Malin declined to comment on November 4, referring questions to CCC officials.

Tan Sokvichea, the head of the CCC Secretariat, declined to reveal a specific timeframe for the raids linked to the seizures of the contraband or provide additional information.

Cambodian E-commerce Federation president Ley Sopheap welcomed the CCC’s move, lauding its continued joint crackdowns with relevant authorities in the fight against counterfeits.

He stressed the importance of active community participation in the campaign, especially from would-be sellers, buyers and traffickers of the goods.

Unscrupulous business practices – such as fraud in quality and quantity and price gouging – will put consumers at considerable risk, he warned.

“Traders and those who import the goods to the market ought to learn about the law and ethics and be aware of how the sale of illegitimate or faulty goods impacts consumers.

“I’ve started a free course that touches on the laws concerning the traffic of such goods. Those wanting to join are always welcome to come in and help spread the knowledge among Cambodian traders,” he said.