Login Register

Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Police arrest 4, seize 27 kgs of illegal drugs in Phnom Penh

Police arrest 4, seize 27 kgs of illegal drugs in Phnom Penh

| Publication date 12 April 2018 | 16:04 ICT

Police display nearly 30 kilograms of illegal drugs during a news conference on Thursday in Phnom Penh.
Police display nearly 30 kilograms of illegal drugs during a news conference on Thursday in Phnom Penh. Pha Lina

Police arrest 4, seize 27 kgs of illegal drugs in Phnom Penh

Police seized 27 kilograms of crystal meth, heroin and ketamine, and arrested two Taiwanese nationals and two Cambodians in Phnom Penh last week, the Ministry of Interior announced during a Thursday news conference.

Lee Hong Yu and Xu Yao Feng, both Taiwanese, were arrested on April 7 along with Cambodians Chhor Bunchhay and Sam Kokchheang, said Loek Vannak, head of the anti-drug department at the Ministry of Interior. The Taiwanese men were in possession of crystal meth at the time of the arrest and lead police to other locations around Phnom Penh where drugs were stashed, Vannak said.

In total, police seized 18 kilograms of crystal meth, referred to as ‘ice’ in Cambodia, 217.8 grams of heroin and 8 kgs of ketamine at three different locations, the ministry said in a news release. Ketamine is a powerful anaesthetic which can cause hallucinations.

“The ice was imported from Laos,” Vannak said.

Sieng Sok, deputy prosecutor at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, said the men were charged with drug trafficking, which carries a penalty of up to life in prison and a fine of up to $25,000.

Contact author: Soth Koemsoeun

MOST VIEWED

  • Wing Bank opens new branch in front of Orkide The Royal along Street 2004

    Wing Bank celebrates first anniversary as commercial bank with launch of brand-new branch. One year since officially launching with a commercial banking licence, Wing Bank on March 14 launched a new branch in front of Orkide The Royal along Street 2004. The launch was presided over by

  • Girl from Stung Meanchey dump now college grad living in Australia

    After finishing her foundational studies at Trinity College and earning a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Melbourne in 2022, Ron Sophy, a girl who once lived at the Stung Meanchey garbage dump and scavenged for things to sell, is now working at a private

  • Ministry orders all schools, public and private, to close for SEA Games

    From April 20 to May 18, all public and private educational institutions will be closed to maintain order and support Cambodia's hosting of the 32nd SEA Games and 12th ASEAN Para Games, said a directive from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport. Cambodia will host the

  • Wat Phnom hornbills attract tourists, locals

    Thanks to the arrival of a friendly flock of great hornbills, Hour Rithy, a former aviculturist – or raiser of birds – in Kratie province turned Phnom Penh tuk tuk driver, has seen a partial return to his former profession. He has become something of a guide

  • Almost 9K tourists see equinox sunrise at Angkor Wat

    Nearly 9,000 visitors – including 2,226 international tourists – gathered at Angkor Wat on March 21 to view the spring equinox sunrise, according to a senior official of the Siem Reap provinical tourism department. Ngov Seng Kak, director of the department, said a total of 8,726 people visited Angkor Wat to

  • Angkor Beer strengthens national pride with golden new look and fresher taste

    Angkor Beer – the "Gold of Angkor" – has a new look, one that is more stylish and carries a premium appeal, as well as a fresher taste and smoother flavour, making it the perfect choice for any gathering. Angkor Beer recently launched its new design, one

Related articles