PHNOM PENH, June 18 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia has arrested a gang of nine persons for manufacturing and trafficking illicit drugs, seizing over 60 kg of narcotics, the Anti-Drug Department (ADP) said in a news release on Tuesday.
The suspects included eight foreigners and one Cambodian, aged between 23 and 53 years old, the ADP said, adding that two of them were women.
They were all apprehended at midnight of Saturday during raids on three locations in the southwestern coastal city of Sihanoukville after a thorough investigation, the ADP said.
"A total of 60.1 kg of ecstasy, crystal methamphetamine, and ketamine was seized from the suspects' possession during the crackdowns," the ADP said.
The police also confiscated 52.8 kg of precursor chemicals, two pistols, five cars, 11 telephones, one tablet computer, and some cash and jewelry during the raids, the ADP added.
The Southeast Asian country has no death sentence for a drug trafficker. Under its law, someone found guilty of trafficking more than 80 grams of illicit drugs could be imprisoned for life.
According to the ADP, the kingdom detained 9,369 drug-related suspects, including 324 foreigners, during the January-May period of 2024, seizing a total of 4.71 tons of narcotics. ■
