Thirty tons of chemicals seized by police on Wednesday were used to make counterfeit soap, officials confirmed Thursday, refusing to release the name of the Chinese national arrested in connection with the raid.
The liquid and solid chemicals were stored in blue vats, bottles and sacks in a warehouse in Kandal province’s Sa’ang district. They were tested by police to rule out suspicions that they were stockpiled to make illegal drugs.
“We found four kinds of chemical substances, acid, powders and three kinds of soaps, but they were not involved in making drugs,” said Brigadier General Long Sreng, chief of the Interior Ministry’s economic police department.
The police chief said he could not release the name of the suspect, who was questioned Thursday at the Kandal provincial court.
He said police determined that a white powder seized during the raid in Svay Ralum commune was used to make fake soap.
Nevertheless, Lieutenant General Meas Vyrith, secretary-general of the National Authority for Combating Drugs, said his officials would carry out further lab tests. “Four or five chemicals have been taken to the lab to find out their types,” he said.
