Phnom Penh Raid Seizes 300,000 Vape Items

Authorities in Phnom Penh have carried out a major raid on what students dubbed the “Secret House,” confiscating more than 300,000 vape-related products in a crackdown on banned smoking devices.

The operation, conducted on the night of 15 January by the Municipal Military Police and Anti-Drug Bureau, targeted a property at No. 52, Street 172, in Chey Chumneah commune, Daun Penh district. The house is owned by 58-year-old Tang Sokheng, who has been detained and handed over for legal proceedings.

Commander Rath Sreang confirmed the scale of the seizure: 268,504 vaping devices, 69,615 pods, 792 bottles of vape juice, and 443 marijuana grinders. He said the raid was planned in coordination with the Deputy Prosecutor of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court.

“The Royal Government has issued strict orders banning the import, distribution, advertising, usage, possession, production and storage of electronic smoking devices and shisha,” Sreang explained. “This is to protect public health, particularly students and teachers, and to maintain social order.”

The haul, estimated to be worth millions of dollars, highlights the growing popularity of vaping among young Cambodians despite the nationwide ban. Authorities say the “Secret House” earned its nickname from its student clientele, who frequented the location despite the risks.

Officials stressed that the crackdown is part of wider efforts to curb the spread of vaping and related substances, with the gendarmerie pledging to continue targeting similar cases across the capital.

-2026-01-19