Police on Tuesday seized more than four tonnes of counterfeit monosodium glutamate (MSG) at an apartment in the capital’s Chaom Chao II commune.

Police arrested three people, who were detained for questioning on Wednesday at the Phnom Penh municipal police headquarters.

The Ministry of Interior’s Anti-Counterfeit Products Department deputy secretary and head of the operation Touch Yuthea told The Post on Wednesday that it had received a complaint from a business owner about the illegal operation.

“Our operations team regularly investigates cases in secret. After an inspection, we saw that the monosodium glutamate products were fake and highly dangerous.

“We contacted the owner of a company that manufactures monosodium glutamate and he confirmed that the products were fake. We then raided the location upon receiving a complaint,” he said.

Yuthea said the counterfeit products had a frying pan and spatula trademark.

Authorities detained a 40-year-old and two suspected employees, one of whom is being questioned at the Phnom Penh municipal police headquarters.

“The monosodium glutamate products found were not authorised.

“The products were placed in authentic-looking bags to deceive consumers.

“The suspects face charges involving the distribution of counterfeit products, while the owner also faces an additional charge of trademark infringement.

“We have detained the suspects temporarily and are continuing procedures to question them,” Yuthea said.

The owner did not say where the products had come from, but that he had just bought them from a market.