PHNOM PENH, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- A Thai drugs suspect was shot dead and three accomplices were arrested in a recent drugs bust in Chroy Changvar district in Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia, the National Police said on Saturday.
After an investigation for more than a month, the crackdown was launched on Wednesday while the suspects were transporting the narcotics, the police said in a news release.
"A total of 41.7 kg drugs, including 29.7 kg ecstasy (MDMA) and 12 kg ketamine, as well as two pistols and two cars were seized from the suspects," it said.
The suspects drove their car into the police in an attempt to escape and fired eight gunshots at police officers, prompting the police to return fire in self-defense, killing one suspect and injuring another, it added.
The dead suspect was identified as Natthapong Polkhan, 28, while the three detained suspects were aged between 25 and 44 years old, the news release said, adding that they were all male Thai nationals.
Cambodia has no death sentence for a drugs trafficker. Under its law, anyone found guilty of trafficking more than 80 grams of illicit drugs could be jailed for life.
According to the Anti-Drug Police Department, Cambodia nabbed 10,545 drugs suspects, including 154 foreigners, during the January-August period of 2022, seizing 6.11 tons of narcotics. ■