Cambodian Authorities Arrest 20,913 Drug Suspects, Seizing Over Three Tonnes Of Drugs Last Year

Drugs

PHNOM PENH, Jan 2 (NNN-AKP) – The number of people arrested in Cambodia for allegedly involving in illicit drugs increased in 2020, and the amount of drugs seized rose sharply, according to the Anti-Drug Police Department report today.

The authorities nabbed 20,913 drug-related suspects, in 10,193 cases last year, up four and six percent, respectively, compared to a year earlier.

Some 12,245 people were arrested for drug trafficking and 8,668 were caught for drug use, it said, adding that, 355 of them were foreigners in 14 nationalities.

A total of 3,251 kg of drugs, as well as, 29 pistols and 26 rifles were seized from the suspects, the report said.

In the entire 2019, only 720 kg of drugs had been confiscated, according to the report.

Cambodia has no death sentence for drug traffickers. Under its law, someone found guilty of trafficking in more than 80 grams of illicit drugs, could be jailed for life.