Reasons differ for the spike in drug busts

Drug cases in Cambodia nearly tripled in the first nine months of 2015 compared to the same period last year, police announced on Friday, though authorities and civil society groups differed on the cause behind the spike.

The deputy chief of National Police, Mok Chito, said that the growing caseload reflects more arrests at the hands of better-experienced police forces, not more drug use, but NGOs working in the sector maintained yesterday that meth use is growing in the country due to increased regional availability.

“Before, the police [would] suspect a drug case but did not dare to act or arrest the suspect at the first sign,” Chito stated in a video of a speech given on Friday. “Now that we have discussed with the court and prosecutors [ways] to strengthen legal measures and skills … sending the case to court is a lot easier.”

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