Friday, January 18, 2008
Kampuchea Thmei newspaper
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
Prime Minister Hun Sen issued an order to the city authority to take measure to eliminate small and large illegal gambling operations in the city of Phnom Penh, in order to provide safety for the population for 2008.
A source from the authority of the city of Phnom Penh revealed that the Hun Sen’s order has already reached the city authority, and that the latter is starting to hold meetings to set the date to organize a major raid in Phnom Penh.
Hun Sen’s order points out 8 major (gambling) locations that will bring success to the operation. However, these 8 locations were not revealed by the source.
A source from the military police indicated that the location of the raids was not all aimed at major casinos, but they include a number guesthouses and hotels where drugs are being hidden also. Some guesthouses look like normal guesthouses, but in fact, they are just fronts for very anarchic drug distributions and illegal sex trade.
At certain casinos, young children are allowed to go in and gamble, and they bring in bad influence to the society. An official from the city hall said that some institutions are colluding with the local authorities who hide these collusions from their bosses in order to protect their private interests. A group of experts from the ministry of economy and finance said that the group does not know if these institutions have the proper gambling permit or not, all that the group did was to allow them to conduct their businesses and require them to pay taxes to the state. As for the involvement of these institutions with illegal gambling or not, the experts from the ministry of economic and finances do not know about it.
An official source said that some hotels are being masqueraded as Massage parlor, Karaoke bar, but in fact they also house hidden sex trade parlors and gambling parlors as well. A police officer from the Phnom Penh city police office told Kampuchea Thmei that the police already received its order and that it is waiting for the date of the raid only.
According to Hun Sen’s order letter, gambling in hotels and guesthouses must be raided, and if proofs can be found that the owners of these institutions are involved in these illegal trades, they must be arrested and prosecuted by the law.
The new year operation to raid illegal gambling and sex and drug trades is dubbed “Operation Lightning Strike Operation 2008.”
A source from the authority of the city of Phnom Penh revealed that the Hun Sen’s order has already reached the city authority, and that the latter is starting to hold meetings to set the date to organize a major raid in Phnom Penh.
Hun Sen’s order points out 8 major (gambling) locations that will bring success to the operation. However, these 8 locations were not revealed by the source.
A source from the military police indicated that the location of the raids was not all aimed at major casinos, but they include a number guesthouses and hotels where drugs are being hidden also. Some guesthouses look like normal guesthouses, but in fact, they are just fronts for very anarchic drug distributions and illegal sex trade.
At certain casinos, young children are allowed to go in and gamble, and they bring in bad influence to the society. An official from the city hall said that some institutions are colluding with the local authorities who hide these collusions from their bosses in order to protect their private interests. A group of experts from the ministry of economy and finance said that the group does not know if these institutions have the proper gambling permit or not, all that the group did was to allow them to conduct their businesses and require them to pay taxes to the state. As for the involvement of these institutions with illegal gambling or not, the experts from the ministry of economic and finances do not know about it.
An official source said that some hotels are being masqueraded as Massage parlor, Karaoke bar, but in fact they also house hidden sex trade parlors and gambling parlors as well. A police officer from the Phnom Penh city police office told Kampuchea Thmei that the police already received its order and that it is waiting for the date of the raid only.
According to Hun Sen’s order letter, gambling in hotels and guesthouses must be raided, and if proofs can be found that the owners of these institutions are involved in these illegal trades, they must be arrested and prosecuted by the law.
The new year operation to raid illegal gambling and sex and drug trades is dubbed “Operation Lightning Strike Operation 2008.”
