Major Drug Trafficking Ring Dismantled in Poipet, Cambodia; Weapons and Narcotics Seized

A major operation has led to the arrest of seven individuals in Poipet City, Banteay Meanchey Province, Cambodia, on suspicion of drug trafficking and use. The crackdown was conducted by a joint force comprising the provincial police's anti-drug office and the Poipet Police Station. The operation took place on July 23, 2026, at a rented room located in Paliley 1 Village, Poipet City. Under the strict orders of National Police Chief General Sar Thet and Banteay Meanchey Provincial Police Commissioner Brigadier General Soeum Sarith, and with direct command from Deputy Commissioner for Anti-Drug Affairs Brigadier General Thin Sindet, authorities acted on confidential intelligence. Upon arriving at the scene, officers apprehended four suspects (one female) in front of the rented room. A subsequent search inside the room uncovered three more individuals actively preparing, packaging, and distributing narcotics. These three were also arrested. Seized items include a variety of narcotics: one bag of clear crystalline powder, three bags of mixed-colored pills (ecstasy), seven bags of fine powder, and 69 small bags of mixed-colored drugs (referred to as "happy drugs"). Additionally, six electronic cigarettes and ten pods were confiscated. Weapons and related equipment seized consist of two handguns (with two magazines and 15 boxes of ammunition), one weighing scale, one heat sealer and coding machine, various paraphernalia, and packaging materials. A vehicle and four mobile phones were also impounded. Following their arrest, the seven suspects were taken to the Poipet Police Station for questioning and drug testing. Two individuals, Mon Dirong and Sok Heng, tested positive for narcotics. The seven suspects and all seized evidence have been processed by the anti-drug unit and will be forwarded to the court for legal proceedings and sentencing. Source: Kampuchea Thmey Security