Police raid five marijuana farms, burn 20,000 plants
Police and military police raided five marijuana farms in the foothills near the Vietnamese border in Takeo's Kirivong district on 30 January 2021, burning more than 20,000 plants. The owners fled as officers moved in, and a manhunt followed.
District police, military police and local police raided five marijuana farms in the foothills of a mountain near the Cambodian-Vietnamese border in Takeo’s Kirivong district at about 8am on Saturday 30 January 2021.[1]The farms sat in valleys of Preah Bath Chhoum Choan commune and had been watched under police surveillance before the raid.[1]
Officers set fire to more than 20,000 marijuana plants and confiscated materials from each of the five farms.[1]The owners fled when police moved in, and deputy district police chief Keo Kimheng said a manhunt was under way so legal action could be taken against them.[1]
Photos and video
Officers with a burning pile of marijuana plants in Kirivong districtPhoto details
On 14 February 2025 Oral district military police and Kampong Speu provincial military police raided three one-hectare farms in Keng Raing Valley, burning 7,755 marijuana plants. Officers are searching for the cultivators; no one was arrested during the operation.
On 2 February 2025 Takeo provincial governor Vie Samnang led police, military police and district forces to seven illegal plantations on the Bayang Kor range, cutting and burning 3,365 plants across about 1,890 square metres and removing six water tanks. No arrests were reported.
Police destroyed thousands of marijuana seedlings spread across eight sites covering about 2,000 square metres on Toteung mountain in Takeo's Kiri Vong district, seizing six irrigation water tanks. No growers were arrested after they fled before police arrived, continuing a cycle of replanting and eradication reported since 2019.
Police in Mondulkiri province destroyed more than a hectare of marijuana in Sen Monorom City on 4 April 2021 and seized and destroyed about 50,000 plants weighing nearly 400 kilogrammes. The plantation owner fled before officers arrived and faces a search and up to five years in prison if convicted.
