Officers from the Ministry of Interior’s Anti-drug Department made 87 arrests during an early morning drug raid on an illegal nightclub in Phnom Penh on March 10.
Anti-drug officials said around 3kg of narcotics were seized during the operation, which took place at the Starry Sky nightclub in Chaktomuk commune in the capital’s Daun Penh district at around 2am.
They reported that the suspects are a mix of Cambodian, Vietnamese and Chinese citizens. A manhunt is currently underway for the alleged ringleaders of the operation.
The department said the police were questioning the suspects on March 10, before forwarding the cases to the courts for further legal proceedings.
The raid was led by Khoeung Sarath, director of the Anti-drug Department, with support from the Phnom Penh Police.
According to the department, the club, previously known as Boeing, was raided in October last year and shut down. During the October bust, 91 people were arrested and 5kg of narcotics were seized. It was reported that the club had secretly reopened under the new name.
Last week, the department also investigated illegal drug use at Galaxy 142 Club, in Kandal province’s Sampov Poun town.
A March 3 operation led to the arrest of 28 suspects, as well as the seizure of illegal drugs.
Five of the suspects were determined to be drug traffickers, and were referred to court for further legal action, while the remainder were classified as addicts, said a report.
Six of the 23 users were Cambodian nationals and were sent to rehabilitation centres for treatment, while 14 Indonesians and three Malaysians were deported.
