PREAH SIHANOUK: Authorities in Preah Sihanouk Province have arrested a total of 10 men and women, including two Cambodians and eight Chinese nationals, in connection to a case involving almost 1 ton of drugs.

According to the confession of a suspect, the drugs were intended to be smuggled into a different country.

On the afternoon of 11 December 2022, the Preah Sihanouk Provincial Gendarmerie launched an operation to crack down on a large-scale drug trafficking case at a rental warehouse located in Group 9, Village 2, Sangkat 1, Sihanoukville. Through this operation, authorities seized 34 drug packages totaling up to 884 kg.

Currently, 10 drug trafficking suspects have been detained, including two Cambodian men and eight Chinese men and women. Close to 1 ton of drugs have also been seized, and the case has been sent to court for legal proceedings.

The Minister of Interior, DPM Sar Kheng, while presiding over the joint-inauguration ceremony of Bavel High School, Lvea High School, and Svay Prey Primary School in Battambang Province on 14 December, spoke of a case where a ship entering Cambodia pretending to be only carrying cigarettes was suspected of carrying drugs, hence, the DPM ordered for the ship to be detained.

“We stopped a ship while entering Cambodia and questioned them, to which they replied: We transport cigarettes,” recalled the DPM. “Transport cigarettes from where? we continued to question. They were trying to hide it, but we didn't believe that they were carrying cigarettes. Our preliminary conclusion was that they were not carrying cigarettes but drugs. So we detained the ship for a few days, and the presence of drugs was discovered.