The Koh Kong Provincial Court on June 17 released two Chinese nationals after they paid a fine for the illegal possession of Sinovac Covid-19 vaccines without permission.

Nuon Vutha, provincial Military Police deputy commander, told The Post on June 17 that joint forces from the provincial health department and Cham Yeam border checkpoint officers arrested the duo on June 16.

The two, aged 42 and 53, resided in Cham Yeam village of Mondul Seima district’s Bak Khlang commune.

“In the operation, 65 doses of Sinovac vaccine, a cooler box, 45 syringes, 11 packages of cotton swabs, three pairs of gloves, three bottles of alcohol sanitiser, and a car were confiscated,” he said.

He said the court freed them after questioning and deciding that their offences were not serious enough for imprisonment.

Eng Chan Pheara, the provincial court deputy prosecutor who coordinated the operation, told The Post on June 17 that the two were initially charged under Article 10 of the Law on Pharmaceutical Management.

“Under this article, suspects are obliged to pay a fine of between five and 10 milion riel ($1,250 and $2,500). All related offences can incur a fine from one to 10 million riel, and the Ministry of Health reserves the right to impose an interim penalty.

“This is the reason the court decided to release the two after they had paid the fine,” Chan Pheara said, adding that the vaccines were handed over to the provincial health department for destruction.