Cambodia Urges Family and Citizen Cooperation in Anti-Drug Efforts

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Sar Sokha, on July 21, 2026, at the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking ceremony and drug destruction event in Kandal province, themed "Responding Creatively to Drug Issues in the New Context," strongly urged citizens to cooperate in protecting their families from drugs. The Deputy Prime Minister expressed deep concern over the current situation where drug crimes have evolved beyond past patterns, becoming intertwined with transnational organized crime, money laundering, human trafficking, and increasingly sophisticated digital technologies. He noted that criminal organizations constantly change their methods to evade the law. Concurrently, Cambodian authorities are actively engaged in drug control efforts. He revealed that since 2025, over 5 tons of narcotics have been seized in Phnom Penh and Kampong Chhnang province. These seized drugs were publicly incinerated during the ceremony. Deputy Prime Minister Sar Sokha emphasized that in contemporary society, there are few families unaffected by or uninvolved in drug issues. He underscored that for effective eradication, involvement starting from each family, specifically monitoring and educating children to stay away from drugs, is indispensable. Furthermore, National Authority for Combating Drugs Chairman (and Deputy Prime Minister) Net Savoeun earnestly called upon all relevant ministries, armed forces, and citizens from all walks of life to uphold a high sense of responsibility and strive for the utmost results in implementing the established measures and work directions. The total weight of narcotics and chemicals destroyed during the event was 5 tons, 622 kilograms, and 129.30 grams, comprising 4 tons, 611 kilograms, and 821.66 grams of narcotics, and 1 ton, 10 kilograms, and 307.64 grams of chemicals. Source: CPP Cambodia