The director of online news outlet heromannews.com was arrested on Monday in Siem Reap along with three others on drug-related charges. Facebook
The director of online news outlet heromannews.com was arrested on Monday in Siem Reap along with three others on drug-related charges.
Yen Soya, 36, and the other suspects were sent to the Siem Reap Provincial Court on Wednesday afternoon.
Provincial Military Police’s anti-drug trafficking bureau chief Theav Chandara said Soya lived in Siem Reap town’s Teuk Vil commune. The three others are 29-year-old So Visal, a car mechanic, Chea Srey Pich, 18, a businesswoman and Un Srey Pich, 22.
“They were arrested while using and packaging drugs in small bags for trafficking,” Chandara said.
He said the police had been following their activities for more than a month. When the police moved in, they confiscated three packages, each containing 9.02g of methamphetamine. Police also took five mobile phones, a walkie-talkie and a weighing scale.
“So far, they have refused to cooperate to tell us about the source of the drugs they bought, used and distributed,” he said.
The Post could not reach heromannews.com for comment on Wednesday.
Cambodian Journalists Alliance (CamboJA) executive director Nop Vy said Soya’s alleged actions could affect the dignity of the journalists and owners of the news outlet.
“Journalists play a key role in promoting improvement in terms of socio-economic development and the rule of law.
“But if the allegations are true, then it goes completely contrary to the code of professional journalism,” Vy said.
In a separate case, the Phnom Penh municipal police arrested a Chinese man in Chamkarmon district on Wednesday and seize several kilogrammes of drugs.
Phnom Penh municipal police spokesman San Sok Seiha told The Post that on Wednesday afternoon the man, Ly Meng Sing, was arrested in front of a hotel in Chamkarmon district’s Tonle Bassac commune after he was found with 14 packages of drugs.
“Before arresting him, police found a large bag of white powder suspected to be drugs weighing about 5kg near a black Lexus GS 300.
“We monitored the SUV and saw a man arrive with a large suitcase. Seeing this, we arrested him. Upon checking the suspect’s suitcase, we found 14 more packages of drugs,” Sok Seiha said.
He said police took the evidence to the laboratory and are questioning Ly.
Local police officials involved in the operation told The Post the drugs are believed to be heroin.
