A Thai man accused of dealing drugs in partnership with his Cambodian wife was wounded in a shootout with police and military police officers in Battambang town yesterday, an official told the Post.

Heng Send Hong, director of the Battambang provincial military police anti-drug office, said an operation had led forces to surround a rented house in Svay Por commune, where they believed the suspects were holed up.

When police swooped on the property in an attempt to arrest the suspected dealers, the man opened fire, Hong said.

Police fired back, hitting him in the lower back, then arrested him and his wife.

“We have not yet finished investigating, and are searching for anyone in their wider network,” Hong said, adding that police had discovered an undisclosed amount of methamphetamines and a gun.

Hong said he could not reveal the identities of the suspects or the quantity of drugs seized as authorities wanted to make more arrests in connection with the alleged drug activities.

Cheth Vanny, deputy police commissioner in Battambang, said the arrests were the result of co-operation between the two police forces.

To contact the reporter on this story: Kim Sarom at [email protected]