Kiri Vong district police in Takeo province on August 11 destroyed five marijuana plantations and shut down four water reservoirs in Ta O commune. There have been no arrests, according to the National Police.
The National Police report said district police continued to crack down on marijuana crimes, in part to ensure community safety.
Police discovered five separate locations in the commune where marijuana was being cultivated that covered 3,189sqm of land with four reservoirs.
The report did not mention the number of plants found and that police continued the search for the plantations’ owners.
Provincial anti-drug bureau chief Phoeung Sarun told The Post on August 12 that the marijuana growers were suspected to be local people because the cultivation of the marijuana took only three months.
Police found this case to be particularly difficult to crack as the marijuana was planted in the mountains and accessed by crossing streams. Some plants were in the mountain rocks.
“When we crack down on marijuana plants in the west, growers secretly plant them in the east because this area is on the Cambodian-Vietnamese border. They are opportunists, but we will continue our clampdowns. We have a close eye on them,” he said.
Police had educated local residents in the past not to plant marijuana as it is against the law. As a result, the number of people growing marijuana has decreased by 60 to 70 per cent, Sarun said.
