PHNOM PENH: On August 8, the Anti-Drug Department cracked down on drug traffickers in Phnom Penh, who admitted to crossing the border through Laos, carrying methamphetamine from the region’s infamous Golden Triangle.

The Anti-Drug Department had been investigating the case for more than two months before detaining the two Thai suspects with 465 kilos of methamphetamine tablets. One was arrested at the Kandal Stung Prek Chrey Guesthouse in the Dangkor district and the other at the in Borey Chip Monglen in Sen Sok.

The suspects are currently in custody and will be sent to the Phnom Penh Municipal Court for further proceedings.

The Golden Triangle refers to a region that spreads across Myanmar, China, Laos and Thailand which has historically been known for producing enormous quantities of opium and heroin. More recently it has gained the unsavory reputation of being a leading producer of methamphetamine. According to the UN, Countries in East and Southeast Asia have collectively witnessed sustained increases in seizures of methamphetamine over the last decade, totalling over 171 tons and a record of over 1 billion methamphetamine tablets in 2021, more than any other part of the world.

On August 1, the Anti-Drug Department arrested six gang members from Taiwan who were involved in smuggling more than 780 kilograms of illegal drugs from the Golden Triangle.