Thousands of marijuana plants seized, burned by Pursat police + Q1 drug stats sky-high: gov’t

[geovalin]

Khouth Sophak Chakrya

Police in western Cambodia have burnt almost 8,000 marijuana plants after uncovering a massive crop hidden among sesame plants in Pursat province, with the farmer responsible for the land currently being sought for questioning.

Vong Saret, chief of police in Phnom Kravanh district, where the plantation was uncovered, said yesterday the plants had been brought from Koh Thom district in Kandal province by the farmer who rented the land, 65-year-old Oung Eng.

Eng reportedly hid the 7,637 plants across 6 square kilometres of land that he rented from another local farmer, who reported the illicit activity to police. The owner reportedly noticed the drug crop after inspecting the land when the suspect did not plant the cassava and chillies he originally said he was going to cultivate.

“This act caused the land owner much concern and it drove him to seek the intervention of authorities,” Saret said.

According to Saret, the plants were immediately burned to send a message to local farmers that such criminality will not be tolerated. Eng fled the area when the police arrived and remains wanted for questioning.

Last September, police burned 500 marijuana plants in Kampot, which they valued at $30,000.

However, even if Eng is apprehended, there is a chance he won’t face prison. In January, a 72-year-old farmer in Banteay Meanchey province was caught with 4 kilos of marijuana, but allowed to walk free owing to his advanced age.

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/thousands-marijuana-plants-seized-burned-pursat-police

Q1 drug stats sky-high: gov’t

Wed, 6 May 2015

Taing Vida

Arrests for drug-related crimes in the first three months of 2015 were more than double the amount during the same period last year, a new report by the National Authority for Combating Drugs (NACD) says.

A total of 1,254 people were arrested for drug crimes during the first quarter of 2015, a 127 per cent spike from 552 last year, the report says. The number of cases resulting in arrests this year was 597, a surge of 160 per cent from last year’s 227.

“We keep on urging our police and military police to combat crime and educate local residents about the consequences of using and trafficking drugs,” Meas Vyrith, secretary-general of the NACD, said yesterday. “We have also found that some government officials were connected to trafficking cases, so it is hard for us to completely stop it.”

A large portion of the cases involved heroin and methamphetamine.

In addition to the quarterly data, the report says that authorities arrested 480 people in April. Suspects include 463 Cambodians, 10 Vietnamese, three English and four Laotians.

In January, the NACD reported a total of just 1,337 drug cases resulting in 3,142 arrests during the entirety of last year.

Since Cambodia is located near countries where illegal drugs are widely manufactured, and authorities are increasing their anti-drug operations, arrests for drug-related crimes are on the rise Vyrith said.

“I would say that our police are working very hard,” he explained. “This is why crackdowns are increasing from year to year.”

Additionally, this year some policy changes were made regarding the handling of evidence from drug crimes, he added. Previously, drug evidence was maintained until a judge issued a final verdict.

“Now, unless there are unique circumstances, we request that prosecutors destroy the drugs upon the completion of the hearing, so that they are eradicated sooner,” Vyrith said.