Cambodia Cracks Down on Drugs: Over 34,000 Cases, 87,000 Arrests Since 2023

The Ministry of Interior of Cambodia has announced a large-scale crackdown on drug-related crimes nationwide, with 34,149 cases busted and 87,372 individuals arrested from 2023 to the first half of 2026. During these operations, over 26 tons of illicit drugs of all types were seized. According to the Ministry of Interior's report, these achievements are attributed to the professional investigation, research, and crackdown efforts by the national police forces, from the ministerial level down to the commune/district levels. These operations were conducted with high professional ethics and strong determination, involving confrontations with dangerous and armed criminals. To strengthen the effectiveness of drug crime prevention, suppression, and crackdown, a mobile application named 'NoDrug' was launched to enable citizens to easily report drug-related offenses. By the first half of 2026, a total of 98,540 citizens had downloaded and used the 'NoDrug' application, leading to 8,698 reports and information tips. Furthermore, since the commencement of the 7th mandate government led by Prime Minister Hun Manet, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sar Sokha has been strictly implementing the Prime Minister's principle of 'cleaning our house.' This includes drug testing for three categories of civil servants, with those found to be using drugs being dismissed from their positions. Officials involved in drug combat who have failed in their responsibilities have faced demotion or reassignment, while officials implicated in drug crimes have been dismissed and are subject to legal proceedings. These measures have received widespread support among civil servants, national police, and prison officials, as well as from the general public.