Police shuts down Chinese-own night club following drug raid

Photo from Choun Narin Facebook page
  • Thmey Thmey
  • July 25, 2019 9:53 AM

The latest crackdown followed two major raids during the past five months


PHNOM PENH--A Chinese-owned night club in Cambodia’s main port city of Sihanoukville has been shut down following a drug raid, a senior police official said Friday. 


Police raided the ‘Obama’ night club on Thursday after receiving tips that it was conducting illicit drug trade inside, Chuon Narin, police chief in Preah Sihanouk province, said. 


He added that police have also arrested 146 club goers and the owners, most of whom are Chinese nationals, and seized an unspecified amount of drug and related accessories during the bust. He said the club has now been closed – temporarily – pending further investigation by the police.  

  

The latest crackdown followed two major raids during the past five months on nightclubs in Phnom Penh, which are part of the Cambodian government’s broader attempts to clamp down on drug-related offenses, especially inside entertainment venues. 

   

In February, police raided the Rock Entertainment Center, seizing 50 kilograms and arresting 300 people. The club has since been closed. In June, the police carried out another major drug raid on Luxurious night club and arrested 417 people in the process.


According to Ministry of Interior, police has arrested 8,750 drug suspects during the first half of 2019 – an increase by 10.5 percent over the same period last year. The ministry said various police operations during this period have resulted in the seizure of more than 340 kilograms of drugs –up by 40 percent compared to the same period in 2018.


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