Cambodia: Gun battle leaves foreigner dead, seizure of massive illegal narcotics

A gun battle between authorities and criminals at a mango farm has left 1 foreign national dead and a ‘massive’ 1400kg of drugs confiscated – illustrating the pressing problem of narcotics manufacture in Cambodia.

The raid was led by police from the Anti-Drug Department of the Ministry of Interior on December 12, 2021, to crack down on a large-scale drug processing facility in Kampong Speu province.

Lt. Gen. Lek Vannak, director of the Department of Anti-Drug Crimes, said that the massive drug crackdown took place at a mango factory called Farm Asia in Dambang Venh village. Sangke Satop commune, Oral district, Kampong Speu province, at midnight on December 12.

He said that during the raid, drug dealers opened fire on police, leaving one suspect dead on the spot and two others arrested.

The suspects and the dead man were confirmed to be of Taiwanese nationality.

During the raid, police seized 74 bags of suspected ketamine powder in 20 bags, equal to 1480 kilograms as well as a K54 handgun, two cars and a large number of chemicals and drug processing equipment.

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