PHNOM PENH, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian authorities arrested 16,498 drug-related suspects during the first seven months of 2026, marking a 10-percent increase from the 14,977 apprehensions during the same period last year, according to an Anti-Drug Department (ADP) report released Saturday.
The suspects include 889 foreigners of 21 different nationalities, 108 of whom are women.
"The authorities seized 2.51 tons of illicit drugs and 105 kg of dry cannabis from January to July 2026," the report said.
This represents a sharp increase from the 1.91 tons of narcotics confiscated during the same timeframe last year.
The confiscated narcotics consisted mostly of ketamine, ecstasy, heroin, crystal methamphetamine, methamphetamine pills, cocaine, and cathinone.
According to the report, law enforcement operations during the first seven months of this year also resulted in the seizure of 54 pistols, 18 rifles, 119 cars, 1,580 motorcycles, 7,220 telephones, 665 scales, and some cash assets.
The Southeast Asian country does not impose the death penalty for drug trafficking. However, under national law, individuals convicted of trafficking more than 80 grams of illicit drugs face life imprisonment. ■