Drug busts net 30 suspects

Photo by: Pha Lina

Traffic passes by Golden World Guesthouse in Chamkarmon district after it was raided by police today.

via CAAI

Sunday, 20 February 2011 17:47 Kim Yuthana

At least 30 suspected illegal drug users and drug traffickers were arrested by police in a raid on three guesthouses in two separate districts of Phnom Penh on Sunday.

Cooperative efforts between Prampi Makara district police and provincial authorities led to the arrests of a total of 19 illegal drug users and distributors from three different guesthouses in the district, where they were found using and selling methamphetamine, Keu Bunnara, deputy prosecutor of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court said today

He added that three of the drug users were found in a guesthouse in Prampi Makara’s Veal Vong commune by district police and the suspects then informed police about other drug traffickers residing nearby.

Police then raided the Piphub Meas guesthouse in Chamkarmon district’s Tonle Bassac commune, and another guesthouse near the commune’s Depou market.

“In total, we arrested 19 illegal drug users and distributors with 5 grams of drugs, along with other evidence they used to take drugs.

“Most of them are students and two of them are females,” Keu Bunnara said.

He added that their sentences would range from seven days to one month in prison, along with further punishment if they were found guilty and charged. The suspects are now being held at Prampi Makara district police station for questioning and will soon be sent to provincial court.

“The suspects were questioned in order to prepare documents to send them to the court,” Yin San, Prampi Makara district police chief said today.

An additional 11 suspected drug users who work at the 133 Guesthouse in Tuol Sangke commune were arrested by Russei Keo district police on Saturday in an unrelated case involving methamphetamine, according to Som Bunny, Russei Keo district police chief.

“They were questioned and sent to court on Sunday for using illegal drug,” Som Bunny said today.

Ben Rath, deputy Phnom Penh police chief, said that as of mid-February, there have been 50 cases of crackdowns on drug deliveries and more than 100 suspects alleged to be active in distributing illegal drugs arrested in Phnom Penh.