Cambodia arrests 12,356 drug suspects with over 2.6 tonne of narcotics in first 8 months

Phnom Penh, Sept 1

Cambodian authorities had arrested 12,356 drug-related suspects, including 254 foreigners, during the first eight months of 2023, the country's Anti-Drug Department said in a report on Friday.

Nearly 49 per cent of the suspects were drug users, and the rest were drug traffickers, manufacturers and transporters, the report added.

"A total of 2.62 tonne of illicit drugs, 43.5 kg of dry marijuana, and 23,816 marijuana plants were seized in the suspects' possession during the January-August period of 2023," the report said.

The authorities had also impounded 30 homemade rifles, 25 pistols, 105 cars, 1,142 motorbikes, 3,518 telephones and 257 scales, as well as some cash and properties, the report added.

Most of the seized drugs were ketamine, heroin, ecstasy, cocaine, crystal methamphetamine, methamphetamine pills, and cathinone, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Southeast Asian country has no death sentence for drug traffickers. Under its law, someone found guilty of trafficking more than 80 gram of illicit drugs could be jailed for life.