Kampot deputy police chief Keow Tha was suspended on Tuesday over suspected involvement in the province’s cannabis plantations, Governor Ly Sou confirmed on Thursday.[1] The suspension came as a 150-strong military police force led by top military and police officials destroyed a 3-hectare cannabis field at Phnom Thlan Muroi in Kampot province.[1] It was the second plantation destroyed in Kampot in a week.[1] National Police director general Hok Lundy said police were investigating others possibly involved, including a Chinese businessman.[1]
The field lay 13 km by road from a 7-hectare plantation cut down the previous Saturday.[1] Hok Lundy said the first stage was to destroy the cannabis and the second to bring the plantation’s organisers to justice.[1] He warned that high-ranking officials would not be exempt from the crackdown.[1] The 150 military police would stay until all the plants were destroyed, officials said.[1] Ly Sou said more hectares of cannabis might still be found in the area.[1]
An Asian diplomat called the two operations a public relations move.[1] The diplomat said the authorities had known about the plantations since late last year but did not act because powerful officials were involved.[1] Khieu Sopheak, deputy secretary general of the National Authority for Combating Drugs, said the operations showed the government’s commitment and determination to crack down on cannabis in the area.[1] Kun Kim, newly appointed deputy commander-in-chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, was also present at the operation.[1] He said the plantations could not have existed without the support of former Khmer Rouge forces.[1]
Ly Sou said the plantations were protected by Kampot-based military and police officials who worked with a Chinese businessman and Thai partners who financed the operation.[2] He said he had known of the plantations for months but did not have the power to move against them.[2] He accused Lin Chhan, an RCAF deputy commander, of involvement with the plantations.[2]