BANTEAY MEANCHEY: Banteay Meanchey Provincial Police has arrested Pok Chealy, a police officer under the Ministry of Interior's Economic Department, under suspicion of being the ringleader of a drug distribution ring in Banteay Meanchey province, as well as for other crimes.

The arrest of the Interior Ministry official came after Banteay Meanchey provincial authorities arrested four suspects in connection with a December 2021 shooting at a prison truck.

Banteay Meanchey Provincial Police Chief, Colonel Pheung Mansingh, has said that the arrest of Pok Chealy came after the arrest of 27-year-old Lam Sotheth (alias Lam Loch) on 18 August 2022, in connection with a shooting at a provincial prison truck on 24 December 2021 in an attempt to free prisoners.

"The suspect, Lam Sothet, alias Lam Loch, was also imprisoned in Trapeang Thlong, Tbong Khmum province in connection with drug and violence cases and was released from prison on 20 February 2021," he said.

Pok Chealy (alias Chiav), 32, lives in Phnom Penh and was arrested by the Serious Criminal Police after the arrest and interrogation of Lam Sothet revealed the interior ministry official’s involvement in the drug case, including the provision of three small firearms.

Banteay Meanchey Provincial Police Commissioner, Major General Sith Loh, stated that the confession of the accused, Lam Sotheth, confirmed that Pok Chealy was the one who provided the drugs as well as the firearms for self-defense when distributing the drugs.

"When distributing drugs, by putting the drugs in tree holes or electricity poles, Pok Chealy would call customers to pick up the drugs, and he distributed drugs for five to six months,” he said. “Pok Chealy, also known as Chiav, was suspected of providing handguns and drugs to Lam Sothet, a distributor based on three video clips, but he refused to confess.”

This drug case was sent to the provincial court on 21 August 2022 by the Banteay Meanchey provincial authorities, to move the legal process forward.