Cambodian Economic Police Official Arrested, Imprisoned in $9,000 Extortion Case

In Cambodia's Svay Rieng province, a senior economic police official has been arrested and ordered by the court to be detained for his alleged involvement in extorting $9,000 from a truck carrying fabric. The suspect is accused of being an accomplice in the extortion scheme. According to Khmer-language reports, the arrested individual is Sok Thun, 47, who is described as an "agent" for the economic police, responsible for directly receiving money before handing it over to the police chiefs in charge of arrests. The reports suggest he was working for the economic police "bosses." A warrant for pre-trial detention was issued on September 5th by Judge Yeang Sokunneath of the Svay Rieng Provincial Court. Thun is charged with "conspiracy to extort," an offense stipulated under Articles 29, 363, and 364 of the Penal Code. The alleged crime occurred in Svay Rieng city between August 3rd and August 5th, 2026. Sources indicate that Sok Thun acted as a co-conspirator in demanding $9,000 from the fabric truck. However, the alleged mastermind behind the operation, identified as Chhun Chang, the former head of the Svay Rieng Provincial Economic Crimes Police Office, has not yet been apprehended by authorities. Reports question whether the "boss will escape while the subordinates are jailed." Authorities have been ordered to take Sok Thun to the Svay Rieng Provincial Prison for temporary detention. Source: Koh Santepheap Khmer