PHNOM PENH:Cambodia has recorded a sharp increase in both the number of drug-related suspects arrested and the amount of narcotics seized last year, according to an Anti-Drug Department's report released on Wednesday.
The authorities had detained 26, 033 drug-related suspects in 2024, up 30.5 per cent from 19, 940 in the year before, the report said, adding that 954 suspects were foreigners of 20 nationalities.
"A total of 14.7 tonnes of illicit drugs had been confiscated from those suspects' possession from January 1 to December 31, 2024, " the report said.
According to the report, only 2.97 tonnes of narcotics had been seized in the entirety of 2023.
Most of the confiscated drugs were ketamine, crystal methamphetamine, methamphetamine tablets, heroin, ecstasy, and cocaine, Xinhua news agency reported.
In September, a Cambodian court had sentenced two Thai men to life in prison for trafficking a large amount of illicit drugs.
Saehoe Somchai, 33, and Saehoe Thanat, 30, were both arrested in the capital Phnom Penh on August 21, 2023, with 118 kg of methamphetamine and ketamine.
"The duo was charged with possessing, transporting and trafficking illicit drugs, " said the verdict pronounced by Theam Chan Piseth, presiding judge of Phnom Penh Municipal Court.
"The court decided to sentence each of them to life in prison, " the verdict said, adding that the court also fined each of them 80 million riel (20, 000 US dollars).
Cambodia has ramped up efforts in combating illicit drugs since August 2023 when Prime Minister Hun Manet took office.
Hun Manet said in a message to mark the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in June that combating illicit drugs was a top priority of the government.
He ordered provincial and local authorities to stamp out drug distribution and usage at nightclubs and other entertainment facilities across the kingdom.
The kingdom has no death sentence for drug traffickers. Under its law, someone found guilty of trafficking more than 80 grams of illicit drugs could be imprisoned for life.