Phnom Penh: Cambodia’s anti-drug police have cracked down on a cross-border drug trafficking case, arresting two local men with nearly 10 kg of illicit drugs, the National Police said on Sunday.
The duo, aged 17 and 20-years-old, were apprehended on Thursday afternoon during a raid in northwest Banteay Meanchey province’s Poipet city, which shares border with Thailand.
“A total of 9.88 kg of ketamine, hidden in 10 plastic packs with a brand of freeze-dried durian, was confiscated from both suspects,” the National Police reported, adding that the police are hunting for their masterminds and remaining accomplices.
The Southeast Asian country has no death sentence for a drug trafficker. Under its law, someone found guilty of trafficking more than 80 grams of illicit drugs could be jailed for life, Xinhua news agency reported.
According to the country’s Anti-Drug Police Department, Cambodia nabbed 5,572 drug-related suspects, including 105 foreigners, during the January-April period of 2023, seizing a total of 361 kg of narcotics.
Most of the seized drugs are ketamine, crystal meth, methamphetamine pills, heroin, ecstasy, cocaine, and cathinone.
–IANS