Groups: Sentence Too Light in Drug Conviction

By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
11 January 2008

A Phnom Penh Municipal Court sentence for a man accused of running an extensive drug ring was too light, groups said. Chea Chong was sentenced to 25 years and was fined $25,000.

“I would request that the sentence be at the maximum level because the crime of circulating and producing illegal drugs is an international crime,” said Keo Remy, vice president of the Human Rights Party. “This kind of crime deserves the death penalty in some neighboring countries. So, the court should thus sentence the criminals to at least life imprisonment as our constitution does not have capital punishment.”

Chea Chong was the suspected leader of a drug production ring busted in Kampong Speu in April, when police found nearly 5 tons of drug-making materials.

“If we compare [the sentence] to neighboring countries, our court did not do the right job,” said Thun Saray, director of the human rights group Adhoc, “because in those countries for even 20 grams of drugs the criminal receives capital punishment.”

Rights groups do not want capital punishment, he said, but punishment to fit the crime.

Three accomplices were given similar prison sentences, and a fourth, who was to have received life in prison, escaped, officials said.

A prime suspect in the case reportedly jumped out a window to his death in August 2007.

“The court’s sentencing of the largest ring of drug-producing and circulating criminals in Kompong Speu seems unclear and suspicious, because the case is so big, yet the criminals are not high-ranking officials, but ordinary people, and received light punishment,” said Eng Chhay Eang, secretary-general of the Sam Rainsy Party. “The case must be investigated further, and the criminals must be punished more heavily.”

Chea Chung, Nhiek Bun Chhay's former adviser, sentenced to 25-year jail and 100 million riels fine in drug lab bust

The accused were brought to court, among those was Chea Chung, Nhiek Bun Chhay's former adviser, who was sentenced to 25-year jail and fined 100 million riels (~$25,000) (Photo: Bunnak, Koh Santepheap)

Foreigners get 120 yrs jail in Cambodia drugs bust

Jan 11, 2008
AFP

PHNOM PENH - FOUR Chinese nationals and a Thai man arrested last year in Cambodia's largest-ever drugs bust have been jailed for a combined total of 120 years, a court official said on Friday.

The five were among 21 people seized in April, during a police raid on a massive drugs laboratory located on a plantation 50 kilometres from the capital Phnom Penh.

Police discovered two tonnes of chemicals used in the production of 'yaba', a cheap and potent methamphetamine widely used throughout Southeast Asia.

Another tonne of drug-making chemicals was later found in Phnom Penh.

The Thai, along with three Chinese men, were sentenced on Thursday to 25 years each, Judge Iv Kimsry said, adding that a Chinese woman was jailed for 20 years.

A sixth suspect who has fled to Thailand was jailed in absentia for life, he said.

'The court found them guilty for involvement in illegal drug production,' the Judge said. 'It's the largest drug trial ever seen in Cambodia.'

Fourteen Cambodians also arrested at the scene were acquitted after the court determined that they had been tricked into thinking they were employed to spray chemicals on farmland, Judge Iv Kimsry said.

April's bust was the first evidence of large-scale drugs production in Cambodia, which is an increasingly popular trafficking point for narcotics after neighbouring Thailand toughened its stance on illegal drugs in 2002.

Cambodian drug case suspects released on bail

September 03, 2007

The 14 Cambodia's Kompong Speu province men arrested following the April 1 raid on an illicit drug production lab in Phnom Sruoch district have been released, though they have not been cleared of the charges against them, local media reported Monday.

The men were granted bail after an Aug. 27 appeal to Phnom Penh Municipal Court by provincial Governor Kang Heang, but the paperwork securing their release was only finalized Friday, Chan Soveth, investigator for the rights group Adhoc, was quoted by the Cambodia Daily as saying.

Adhoc transported the men by van from Prey Sar prison back to their families in Treng Trayoeng commune Saturday, Chan Soveth said.

Chan Soveth also appealed to the court to expedite the case of the 14, who claim they had only been employed for one hour prior to their arrest at the lab and had no knowledge of illegal activity.

On April 1, Cambodian police arrested 18 people during raids in Phnom Penh and Treng Trayoeng commune in Kompong Speu's Phnom Sruoch district, confiscating about 5.8 tons of precursor chemicals, which are technically estimated to be used for manufacturing one ton of methamphetamine.

Source: Xinhua

Cambodia finishes neutralizing hazardous drug lab chemicals

Symbolic burning of the chemical products by the participants in the ceremony (Photo: Bunry, Koh Santepheap)

PHNOM PENH, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- About three tons of the most hazardous chemical found by police at a Cambodia's Kompong Speu province drug production lab have been neutralized and disposed of, local media reported Friday.

"I am relieved that the first phase of the cleanup has been completed," Lars Pedersen, officer in charge of project office for the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), was quoted by the Cambodia Daily newspaper as saying.

According to a statement issued Wednesday by the UNDOC, 25 tons of reagent chemicals and 15 tons of water were used to neutralize 3.2 tons of thionyl chloride, a highly corrosive chemical that could explode if it comes into contact with water.

In the second phase of the chemical cleanup, 550 kg of acetone and 1.4 tons of other chemicals will be disposed of through incineration, the statement said.

The chemicals, said to be precursors for the production of amphetamines, were discovered during a police raid in April and are being disposed of by the UNODC and the National Authority for Combating Drugs (NACD) of Cambodia, the newspaper said.

Nhiek Bun Chhay proposes the closing of NRP radio program

Friday, August 31, 2007
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Nhiek Bun chhay, Funcinpec secretary-general, proposed to Mam Sonando, the manager of Sambok Khmum (Beehive) radio station, to temporarily stop the “voice of the royalists” program after a NRP made a comment during this program, accusing him of being involved in the illegal drug production in Kompong Speu. In a letter sent on Tuesday, Nhiek Bun Chhay who is also the government vice-prime minister, said that the 1-hour program, in which Noranarith Anandayath is its commentator, criticized him and provided explanations that are contrary to the events by trying to link him (Nhiek Bun Chhay) to the (Kompong Speu) drug problem. In this letter, Nhiek Bun Chhay proposed to Mam Sonando to temporarily stop this program because it severely affects his name and his honor, and he is also preparing to bring a lawsuit in this case, in order to seek justice, soon. Noranarith Anandayath said that Funcinpec wants to silence the NRP voice, but he said that he will stop discussing about Nhiek Bun Chhay on the airwave.

Nhiek Bun Chhay plans to sue two local newspapers for defamation

30 August 2007
By Sok Serey
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

Nhiek Bun Chhay, vice-prime minister and Funcinpec secretary-general, claimed that the he is currently preparing lawsuits – to be sent to the Phnom Penh municipal court in the near future – against two newspapers for defaming him. He accused the two newspapers of publishing false information which affected his honor.

The two Khmer-language daily newspapers he plant to sue are: Samleng Yuvachon Khmer (Voice of Khmer Youth), and Khmer Amatak (Eternal Khmer).

Nhiek Bun Chhay told RFA on Wednesday that he is currently preparing the complaints so that his lawyer can hand them over to the Phnom Penh municipal court shortly.

Nhiek Bun Chhay said: “I have prepared these complaints, and maybe tomorrow or so, I will hand in the complaints because these NRP-supporting newspapers publish false information. Samleng Yuvachon and Khmer Amatak publish today information which affected me.”

He clarified that he has the full freedom to travel outside of the country as normal, and that there is no (travel) restriction (imposed on him) by the authority as a number of newspapers reported recently: “This information is false, I went to Thailand and I just came back. In a day or two, I will leave (to overseas) again.”

Regarding the plan to sue the 2 newspapers, Liev Sovanna, a defense lawyer involved in the lawsuit brought up by Prince Ranariddh, said that he did not receive the request from Nhiek Bun Chhay yet, but that he will handle these lawsuits as soon as Nhiek Bun Chhay will ask him to. He indicated that in his position as a lawyer, he has no political preference: “I did not yet receive Nhiek Bun Chhay’s request, maybe, he didn’t request yet.”

Reacting to Nhiek Bun Chhay’s lawsuits plan, Keo Sothea, the editor of the Samleng Yuvachon Khmer said: “If it involves an actual mistake, I will issue a correction or clarification.”

Bun Tha, editor of Khmer Amatak, reacted by saying: “We already know about the drug case, when (the story) is published, he must send a written clarification letter, not just for newspapers, but for the general public. In Cambodia, the drug issue is very stinky, it is a very bad issue.”

On 01 April 2007, a joint police force raided and confiscated about 6 tons of raw material used in drug production, in Treng Troyeung commune, Phnom Sruoch district, Kompong Speu province, and also in Phnom Penh, and the authority arrested 18 people during the raid: 14 Cambodian citizens and 4 foreigners.

In August, the authority arrested 2 important suspects: Oum Chhay who was the advisot of the National Assembly President Heng Samrin, but he committed suicide by jumping down a building on 21 August; and Chea Chung, the owner of the land and the farm where the raw drug material was stored. Chea Chung is known as the former advisor of Nhiek Bun Chhay.

US Official Pushes for Prosecution of Drug Suspects

Chiep Mony, VOA Khmer
Original report from Kampong Speu
30 August 2007

The suspects arrested in an April raid of a drugs lab in Kampong Speu province need to be prosecuted, but a case against them should be legal and proper, a US political officer said.

Jennifer Spande, who attended a ceremony where drug-making chemicals was destroyed Thursday, said the US was counting on Cambodia's emerging rule of law to fairly prosecute the men behind the methamphetamine production.

"Certainly we would hope that the trial would be speedy and that it would be impartial," she said, adding that the suspects should have competent defense.

The April raid led to the arrest of a handful of workers at the drug lab in Kampong Speu province, as well as at least two suspected ring leaders. One of those, Oum Chhay, apparently leapt to his death from a police building in Phnom Penh during interrogation. A second man, Chea Long, is still under arrest.

Approximately 2.8 kilograms of six different drug-making chemicals were burned in the ceremony Thursday.

Lt. Gen. Keng Savong, deputy director of the national anti-drug authority, said authorities would continue pursuit of the drug production "criminal group" and "send it to the court in the near future."

UN Office on Drug and Crime representative Lars Pedersen said he was encouraged by the commitment government authorities showed in the drugs clean-up.

Nhiek Bun Chhay Denies Drug Production Accusations

Funcinpec General Denies Drug Production Accusations
Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
28 August 2007

Gen. Nhiek Bun Chhay, the secretary-general of Funcinpec, met with members of the press Tuesday to deny allegations he was involved in Cambodia's biggest methamphetamine lab bust.

Rumors have circulated in Cambodia's press that the Funcinpec officer had a professional link to a man now being held in the case, Chea Chong.

Nhiek Bun Chhay denied this link, blaming instead political provocateurs for the rumor.

The allegations and rumors stem from an April raid on a drug "super lab" that yielded a handful of suspects and nearly 5 tons of drug-production chemicals.

Oum Chhay, a high-profile suspect in the production ring, apparently leapt from a building while in custody earlier this month, killing himself.

Police Question Three Guarding Dead Drug Suspect

Chiep Mony, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
23 August 2007

Authorities Thursday were questioning the three men guarding a drug suspect who fell to his death Tuesday, in what police say was a suicide.

The men guarding Oum Chhay, a key suspect in a drugs production case, said they were unable to prevent the accident.

The guards had accepted responsibility for failing to prevent the suicide and were willing to accept demotion or jail time, said Interior Ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak.

"We did question them. We asked them individually.They admitted that the accident happened so fast and they accept responsibility," he said.

Police said previously Oum Chhay lept from the building while his guards were away using the toilet.

The punishment of the three guards was not yet determined, Khieu Sopheak said.

Oum Chhay's death has weakened an investigation into a methamphetamines lab raided by police in April.

Another leader in the drugs production case, Chea Chong, is being held in Prey Sar prison, undergoing questions, police said.

US Adds More Money for Drug Bust Clean-Up

An American anti-drug expert Rogert Bruce tests during the launch of the cleanup of the clandestine metaphetamine laboratory at Kampong Speu province some 68 kilometers (42 miles) southwestern of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2007. Officials began destroying Cambodia's largest seizure of drug-making chemicals Thursday, while acknowledging that the country has moved from being a transit point to a producer of illegal drugs. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
22 August 2007

The US government announced Wednesday a donation of $80,000 to help Cambodia destroy nearly 5 tons of drug-making material seized in a raid earlier this year.

The contribution put the total US effort for the clean-up at $140,000, a US Embassy statement said.

Cambodian authorities discovered a so-called "super lab" for methamphetamine pills in Kampong Speu in April, leading to numerous arrests and the seizure of potentially lethal chemicals used in drug production.

"The United States applauds the work of the Ministry of the Interior, including the National Authority for Combating Drugs, the Anti-Drug Police, provincial police, and other officials in discovering the methamphetamine lab, arresting the suspects, and securing the scene," the embassy statement said.

"The discovery of a large methamphetamine lab in Kampong Speu marks a significant change in Cambodia's growing drug problem," the statement said. "Now, in addition to being a transit and consumption country, we have evidence that Cambodia is a country where drugs are also produced. This development only serves to underscore the seriousness of the drug issue here."

With the help of the US and the UN, authorities have already begun destroying the meth-making material, including nearly 3 tons of "highly dangerous" thionyl chloride, a second US Embassy statement said.

The US contribution was welcome in an expensive endeavor, Interior Ministry spokesman Lt. Gen. Khieu Sopheak said.

"We have to spend money to buy substances to detoxify and then we put the poison to waste," he said. "The important expenses are made on taking raw materials and detoxifying the chemicals as components to make the drugs."

April's raid led to the arrest earlier this month of Oum Chhay, a high-ranking figure alleged to be involved in the drug-production operation.

Oum Chhay fell to his death Monday. Police said he lept from the building in an apparent suicide while officers on duty were using the restroom.

A second man arrested in connection with the drugs, Chea Chong, is being held for questioning at Prey Sar prison.

Mystery shrouding Oum Chhay's apparent suicide: The window he jumped from is only from four to five meters high

An official looking at the window from which Oum Chhay allegedly jumped from (Photo: Koh Santepheap newspaper)

The alleged body of Oum Chhay is seen below the balcony where he allegedly jumped from; Inset a photo of Oum Chhay (Photo: Koh Santepheap newspaper)

August 22, 2007
Mystery surrounds suicide of key drugs suspect of Cambodia

Chhay Chhay Investment owner Oum Chhay, also president of Banteay Meanchey Provincial Chamber of Commerce, allegedly committed suicide on Tuesday at Ministry of Interior's anti-drug department following his arrest on Aug. 15 on drug charges, which on Wednesday triggered off various reports and speculations on local newspapers.

Oum Chhay, 51, also advisor for National Assembly President Heng Samrin, committed suicide at about 06:00 a.m. by throwing himself through a nine-meter-high window from the building of the ministry's anti-drug department, where he was detained for his alleged involvement in a narcotics production laboratory in Kompong Speu province, reported Cambodian-language newspaper the Sralanh Khmer.

However, according to other Cambodian-language newspapers the Monesekar Khmer and the Rasmei Kampuchea, the window is only from four to five meters high, which has prompted observers to think that the height is not enough to kill the prominent business man.

Police said that Oum Chhay leapt from the building after seeking permission to use the toilet from police guarding him, according to Cambodian-language newspaper the Khmer Machas Srok.

Journalists complained immediately as they were given access to information or the body to independently confirm Oum Chhay's cause of death, said the Moneakseakar Khmer.

Amid tightened security, the body of Oum Chhay was sent to the Monivong Hospital at 09:00 a.m. for diagnosis, with the postmortem showing he died from a cracked skull as a result of falling head-first from the window, said the Khmer Machas Srok.

An official from the department who spoke on the condition of anonymity claimed that Oum Chhay's wife seemed not to believe her husband had decided to kill himself, though she failed to elaborate, said the Moneaksekar Khmer.

However, Interior Ministry Spokesman Khieu Sopheak confirmed that committing suicide was the sole reason behind the death, adding that officials who examined the body of the late businessman can clarify the issue, said the Rasmei Kampuchea.

"(Oum Chhay) jumped from the first floor - like diving - and his head went down first. We fell very bad about his death," English-language newspaper the Cambodian Daily quoted Khieu Sopheak as saying.

Oum Chhay's has been given to his relatives to arrange a funeral.

Heng Samrin left for Malaysia on Sunday to attend regional meeting and will return on Wednesday. He had denied any knowledge about Oum Chhay's connection with the case.

Oum Chhay was arrested on Aug. 15 near the border with Thailand, for being allegedly involved in the drug production case in Kompong Speu province, where the Cambodian police staged a raid on April 1 and arrested 18 people.

The chemicals found in the drug lab there were destroyed on Aug. 16. With the materials, over 54 million U.S. dollars worth of drugs could be produced.

In a related development, Chea Cheung, the alleged mastermind of the case, was arrested late on Tuesday in Svay Rieng province near the border with Vietnam and sent to the Phnom Penh Municipal Court for questioning, police officers said on condition of anonymity.

Chea was former adviser for Deputy Prime Minister Nhiek Bun Chhay, but Chhay denied any connection with him.

Source: Xinhua

Cambodian official commits suicide over alleged involvement in drug case

August 22, 2007

Om Chhay, adviser for Cambodian National Assembly President Heng Samrin, committed suicide here on Tuesday morning during police detention over alleged involvement in drug case, officials said.

"I knew that Om Chhay died," Phnom Penh's Deputy Prosecutor Sok Kalyan said after conducting the autopsy of Om Chhay's body.

Om Chhay, also president of the Bantey Meanchey Provincial Commercial Chamber, killed himself by jumping off the building of the anti-drug authority of the Interior Ministry, leading to serious damage of his back and head, an official said on condition of anonymity.

At noon, the body of Om Chhay was handed over to his family for funeral ceremony.

Heng Samrin left for Malaysia on Monday and had denied any knowledge about Om Chhay's connection with the case.

According to Cambodian-language newspaper the Raksmey Kampuchea, Om Chhay was arrested on Aug. 15 near the border with Thailand, for being allegedly involved in the drug production case in Kompong Speu province, where the Cambodian police staged a raid on April 1 and arrested 18 people.

The chemicals found in the drug lab there were destroyed on Aug. 16. With the materials, over 54 million U.S. dollars worth of drugs could be produced.

In a related development, Chea Cheung, the alleged mastermind of the case, was arrested late on Tuesday in Savy Rieng province near the border with Vietnam and sent to the Phnom Penh Municipal Court for questioning, police officers said on condition of anonymity.

Chea was former adviser for Deputy Prime Minister Nhiek Bun Chhay, but Chhay denied any connection with him.

Source: Xinhua

Oum Chhay's apparent suicide (nobody allowed to see his body) and Chea Chung arrested (the next one to leap out of a window?)

Key Drug Suspect Plunges to His Death as Potential Ringleader Held

Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
21 August 2007

A key suspect in one of Cambodia's biggest drug cases fell to his death Tuesday morning from the window of the anti-drugs department building where he was being questioned, police said.

Police ruled the death of Oum Chhay a suicide and said his death made building their case against an alleged methamphetamine production ring more difficult.

"The authorities regret the event, because he did give some answers," said Ministry of Interior spokesman Khieu Sopheak. "We are continuing our work, but losing Mr. Oum Chhay makes our investigation incomplete. The confession of the victim in his answers [to our interrogation] could have helped us finish our work."

Om Chhay lept from the building when the policemen who were watching him took a break to use the toilet, Khieu Sopheak said.

Oum Chhay was arrested last week on charges stemming from a drugs-lab raid by national police earlier this year in Kampong Speu, which netted four tons of materials from a so-called "super lab" for methamphetamines.

Rights workers and journalists complained immediately they were not being given access to information or the body to independently confirm Oum Chhay's cause of death.

In fact, there were several questionable circumstances surrounding the case, said Chan Saveth a human rights investigator for the group Adhoc.

Oum Chhay was reported in the local media as an adviser to National Assembly President Heng Samrin, who is also the honorary president of the ruling Cambodian People's Party.

Police also late Tuesday they had arrested another highly sought suspect, Chea Chong. He was being held Tuesday at Prey Sar prison in Phnom Penh pending drug-production charges, police said.

Chea Chung, Nhiek Bun Chhay’s former advisor, arrested for drug production

Saturday, August 18, 2007
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

A former advisor of Nhiek Bun Chhay was arrested by the police on 14 August 2007 and charged with involvement in illegal drug production in Kompong Speu province. The Rasmei Kampuchea reported that Chea Chung was arrested by the police when he returned back from Vietnam to Cambodia. Chea Chung was sent to the Ministry of Interior for additional questioning on a number of issues in order to find out about additional leaders and accomplices. On 01 April, the police raided a large drug lab at a cow farm owned by Chea Chung, a former advisor of Nhiek Bun Chhay. One of the drug labs is located in Treng Troyoeung commune, Phnom Sruoch district, Kompong Speu province, and the other one is located in Tuol Svay Prey commune, Chamcar Mon district, Phnom Penh city. Regarding this drug affair, a group of police officers also arrested Oknha Oum Chhay, an advisor of Heng Samrin, president of the National Assembly, on 15 August, at the Poipet international border gate, located in O’Chrov district, Banteay Meanchey province.

Drug lab suspect at large

By Post Staff
Phnom Penh Post, Issue 16 / 08, April 20 - May 3, 2007

An official investigation into a large-scale narcotics laboratory recently discovered at a Kampong Speu cow farm has led authorities to suspect a powerful "foreign mastermind" and raised new fears about Cambodia's role in Southeast Asia's illicit drug trade.

Authorities and international experts are now attempting to pinpoint the origin of the three tons of precursor chemicals confiscated on March 31, and learn how the legal, but closely monitored, chemicals crossed international borders. Former government adviser Chea Chung, the alleged owner of the farm, remains at large.

"We have an arrest warrant and police have taken measures to watch for Chea Chung along the borders," said Teng Savong, head of the Investigation Committee of the Ministry of Interior on April 18. "Chea Chung is a very important man and we have suspected that there is a powerful person behind him."

Moek Dara, director of the MoI's anti-drug department, said the government is using all available officers to search for Chung, and he believes the former adviser to Deputy Prime Minister Nhek Bun Chhay is still inside Cambodia.

"We won't allow him to escape," Dara told the Post.

Following an inspection of the raided sites in Kampong Speu province and Phnom Penh, a top UN drug official confirmed that the farm was used to produce chloroephedrine - a precursor chemical for the manufacturing of methamphetamines.

"The process has different stages. This was step 1: a place to isolate and dry chloroephedrine. They were shipping it to another site for step 2, where it would be converted into meth," said Jeremy Douglas, regional project coordinator for the UN Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) on April 19. "There was no actual meth, but there's no reason to have this drug on a farm if you're not making methaphetamine. They were close to producing it, about halfway."

Douglas said the end product that would be made from the chloroephedrine is probably "ice," a purified and highly addictive form of crystalized methamphetamine.

"It's most likely that the final product that would reach these streets is ice. There's more value for the money: they could decide to cut it and make pills or tablets if they wanted to," said Douglas.

Douglas was also concerned about two Malaysian men arrested at Phnom Penh International Airport with 2.2 kgs of ice less than a week after the drug raids.

"The theory was that [ice] came from Myanmar, now this may or may not be true," Douglas said.

Lour Ramin, secretary-general of the National Authority on Combatting Drugs (NACD), said 12 types of chemicals were seized including chloroephedrine and some 800 bottles of liquid thionyl chloride. Thionyl chloride is described in a scientific journal as a "re-agent used for the production of chemical compounds to purify the end product."

"We are investigating to find out where the chemicals were imported from. We can see labels written in Chinese and Vietnamese, but the perpetrators cut the import-export stamps off the containers," Ramin said. "We are working with neighboring countries and the US DEA to find out which company ordered the chemicals and who was the importer."

Concerns have been raised about the environmental impact on the Kampong Speu site. According to Douglas, officials from the US DEA and UNODC have taken samples at the site and will advise in its clean up. An inter-ministerial committee has been formed under the oversight of Sar Kheng, Minister of Interior and Deputy Prime Minister.

"The committee is already working - we've had one meeting and went to check out the scene," said Ramin. "Now we will listen to technicians' ideas about safety for the health of the people living around the area. We will make a decision about how to deal with the chemicals, either to burn or bury."

Kang Heang, Kampong Speu provincial governor, said the area's wells and livestock have been checked out by government officials.

So far, 18 arrests were made after police simultaneously stormed the two locations in Kampong Speu and Phnom Penh. Two Chinese men and one Thai were charged with drug production and smuggling on April 5 in Kampong Speu Provincial Court. The same day a Chinese woman was charged with the same offenses in Phnom Penh. Fourteen local villagers were charged with colluding in drug production.

"Now, the police are investigating the big mastermind who is a foreigner," Heang said.

Drugs: Nhiek Bun Chhay’s advisor arrested

Tuesday, April 3, 2007
By Ung Chansophea
Cambodge Soir
Unofficial translation from French by Luc Sâr

Click here to read Cambodge Soir’s original article in French

A police operation ended with the seizure of two tons of raw materials for producing methamphetamines (yama), and the arrest of 18 people. Among those responsible for the drug trafficking and the production lab in Cambodia, the police arrested an advisor of Nhiek Bun Chhay.

A large operation conducted by the anti-drug police led to the arrest of 18 people – one of those arrested in an advisor to Nhiek Bun Chhay, the Vice-Prime Minister and Funcinpec Secretary-General – and the seizure of two tons of raw material for producing methamphetamines. This important operation took place Sunday on a property belonging to Chea Chung, an honorific advisor to Nhiek Bun Chhay, located in the commune of Treng Troyeung, Phnom Sruoch district, Kompong Speu province.

According to Kang Heang, the provincial governor, 18 people were arrested, including 3 Chinese citizens, one Thai citizen, and 14 Cambodian employees. Among the three Chinese citizens arrested was Chea Chung, a 2-star general and an advisor to Nhiek Bun Chhay, an anonymous source from the anti-drug police department claimed. “Before starting this operation, we investigated for more than a month because this type of material is hard to identify. We discreetly took sample of the products to perform tests which confirmed our doubts before searching the house. This is the first time that our province discovers such an important drug lab,” the governor said.

Phnom Penh police had also seized another ton of raw material in the capital, as part of this operation.

Nhiek Bun Chhay rejected any of his implication, even indirect one, in this affair. He explained that this Chea Chung was not a full advisor, but is merely a businessman who holds the honorific title of advisor. “He is not a personal advisor. He does not work in my offices, and he does not receive any salary. I only know that he owns his business,” he explained before saying that he gives full latitude to the police to resolve this affair.