Siem Reap provincial police are waiting for the laboratory results of 66 tonnes of suspected counterfeit and poor-quality products which were seized from a house in Borey Sieng Nam in Chreav commune’s Khna village, in Siem Reap town.

Provincial deputy police chief Mork Theara said Siem Reap provincial police’s Anti-Economic Crime Branch and Customs and Excise officials launched the raid on suspicion that the facility flouted tax payments and stored sub-standard goods.

Theara said: “We must ensure public health. We found that some of the products were tainted and [the owner] underpaid taxes under Cambodian law.”

Samples of the products were sent to Phnom Penh for testing on Friday last week.

The confiscated goods included 1,140 containers and 200 cases of cooking oil, 130 sacks of flavouring weighing 3,250kg, 1,153 bags of juice, 88 cases of white and yellow butter, 119 cases of canned fish weighing 2,380kg and some bread-related ingredients.

Officials identified 49-year-old Seng Peal as the owner of the goods. He was ordered to appear before the authorities for questioning but was allowed to return home ahead of the results of the laboratory tests.

Theara, who is also Anti-Economic Crime Branch chief, said if the results showed that the products met established standards, then Peal would be fined for not storing them in accordance with technical standards.

However, if the goods are found to be counterfeit or tainted, they will be incinerated and Peal would face additional fines.

Peal is said to have cooperated with authorities in their investigation and officials have temporarily shut down the house as they wait for laboratory results.

The National Police said experts are also testing the samples for banned chemical substances that pose a danger to health.