Cambodian Court Upholds 22-Year Sentence for Chinese National in Drug Trafficking Case

The Phnom Penh Court of Appeal has upheld a 22-year prison sentence for Chin Chong, a 43-year-old Chinese national convicted of illegally transporting narcotics from Phnom Penh to Svay Rieng province in 2024. The court announced its decision on August 6, 2026, rejecting the defendant's appeal and confirming the initial ruling. Chin Chong, who was employed as a construction site supervisor for a Chinese construction company in Phnom Penh, was arrested by anti-drug police in Bavet city, Svay Rieng province, on February 2, 2024. At the time of his arrest, authorities seized approximately 49 packages of MDMA and 18 other types of narcotics. During the trial, Chin Chong denied the charges. He claimed that the seized drugs were entrusted to him by a Taiwanese man who hired him for $300 to transport them from Phnom Penh to Bavet, and that he was unaware they were illegal substances until they were revealed by the police after his apprehension. He also stated he had previously been hired twice by the same Taiwanese man, receiving $200 for the first delivery. He was charged under Article 40 of the Law on Drug Control for illegal possession and trafficking of narcotics. The Svay Rieng Provincial Court had previously sentenced him to 22 years in prison and a fine of 40 million riels (approximately $10,000 USD) on July 3, 2025. The appellate court's decision means this sentence will stand. Source: CEN Cambodia