Three unlicensed clinics in Battambang province were shut down yesterday, their equipment seized, and owners arrested and sent for questioning, according to a court official.

Battambang provincial prosecutor Nuon San said police raided the three clinics – one in Phnom Proek district, and the other two in Sampov Loun – between 7:30am and noon yesterday, following a request from the provincial Health Department. Two of the clinics were run by Chinese nationals, and the other by an ethnic-Chinese Cambodian, he said.

“Besides seizing drugs and medical equipment, among the three Chinese owners, who are also doctors, one was sent for questioning at the provincial National Military Police office and the other two were sent to the provincial police office.”

Provincial police chief Sar Theth and Provincial Governor Sok Chanphal could not be reached yesterday.

The issue of unlicensed clinics in Battambang made headlines in December when a massive outbreak of HIV was detected in the province’s Roka commune, attributed to tainted injections from an unlicensed doctor.