December 9, 2024
PHNOM PENH – An early morning December 4 raid on a Chroy Changvar district drug den which was disguised as a “tea restaurant” led to the arrests of 93 individuals, 49 of them women.
The operation, in Prek Ta Sek commune, was led by the Phnom Penh military police force, under the direct supervision of Lieutenant General Rath Sreang, deputy commander of the National military police and Commander of the Phnom Penh military police.
According to a December 5 social media post by Sreang, the arrested included Cambodian, Chinese and Vietnamese nationals. He added that over 400 packages of “mixed drugs” and 100 pipes – along with other drug-related paraphernalia – were seized.
He explained that the authorities are continuing to investigate the case.
The crackdown was conducted in coordination with the Chroy Changvar district military police and under the legal guidance of Plang Sophal, deputy prosecutor of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court.
In a separate case, the Phnom Penh Municipal Court announced additional penalties for a Vietnamese criminal who was convicted for his part in a major bust that took place in Phnom Penh’s Boeung Chhouk village of Nirouth commune, in Chbar Ampov district, in June of last year.
In a December 5 statement, the court explained that Nguyen Van Ninh will be permanently banned from entering Cambodia after serving his prison sentence.
On June 27, 2023, Van Ninh, 35, was sentenced to 27 years in prison and fined 80 million riel (around $20,000) for conspiracy and illegal possession of narcotics. His accomplice, Nguyen Tieng Minh, 33, was sentenced to life imprisonment and fined 100 million riels (around $25,000) for illegal possession and trafficking of narcotics.
The convictions and penalties were handed down under Articles 29 and 40 of the Law on Drug Control, as well as Article 350, Paragraph 2, of the Criminal Code.