14-6-2024 (PHNOM PENH) In a show of force against the relentless scourge of drug trafficking, Cambodian authorities incinerated more than four tonnes of illicit narcotics on Friday, June 14th. The staggering haul, valued at nearly US$70 million, was reduced to ashes at a brick kiln under the watchful eye of armed security forces, signalling the nation’s intensified crackdown on the illegal drug trade.
The confiscated drugs, which included ketamine, methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, and various chemical substances, were publicly destroyed in a symbolic act of defiance against the criminal networks fueling the narcotics epidemic. Meas Virith, the secretary-general of the National Authority for Combating Drugs (NACD), addressed reporters at the scene, revealing that the street value of the 4.1 tonnes of drugs amounted to a staggering US$67 million.
“If the authorities failed to seize these drugs, millions of people would have been victimised,” Virith solemnly stated, underscoring the grave consequences of the illicit trade. He further emphasized the Cambodian government’s unwavering commitment to combating drug trafficking, with intensified efforts under the leadership of Prime Minister Hun Manet, who assumed office in August of the previous year.
Cambodia’s strategic location has made it a major transit hub for drug trafficking, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Virith disclosed that the majority of the seized narcotics originated from the notorious Golden Triangle region, where the borders of Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand converge, a notorious hotbed for the production and distribution of illicit substances.
The crackdown on drug trafficking has yielded significant results, with Cambodian authorities recording a surge in arrests and seizures in recent months. During the first five months of the current year alone, approximately 10,000 drug-related suspects were apprehended, and a staggering 4.7 tonnes of illicit drugs were confiscated, showcasing the authorities’ determination to disrupt the supply chains and dismantle the criminal networks responsible for the scourge.
