PHNOM PENH, March 1 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia has recorded a drop in the number of people arrested, but a rise in the amount of narcotics seized in the first two months of 2026, said a report from the Anti-Drug Department on Sunday.
The authorities had apprehended a total of 3,386 drug-related suspects during the January-February period this year, down 8.4 percent from 3,697 suspects over the same period last year, the report said, adding that the number of cases declined by 6 percent to 1,355 this year from 1,442 last year.
"A total of 584.4 kg of illicit drugs had been confiscated from those suspects' possession during the period from Jan. 1 to Feb. 28, 2026," the report said.
The amount of confiscated narcotics represented an increase of 180 percent from 208.5 kg seized during the first two months last year, according to the report.
Most of the confiscated narcotics were ketamine, ecstasy, heroin, crystal methamphetamine, methamphetamine pills, cocaine, and cathinone.
The Southeast Asian country has no death sentence for illicit drug traffickers. Under its law, those found guilty of trafficking more than 80 grams of illicit drugs could be imprisoned for life. ■
