The Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Tuesday heard the case of three men charged with drug trafficking after they were arrested with more than 300 grams of crystal methamphetamine in a sting operation late last year.
The suspects—Oum Sovanna, 44; Hip Sothea, 41, and Mok Kimleang, 30—were arrested on December 7 in front of Century Plaza Market in Pur Senchey district with 313.49 grams of the drug, according to presiding Judge Chuon Soreasey.
In court Tuesday, all three men denied the charges against them.
Mr. Sovanna said he was given a plastic bag by his friend, who he identified only as “Huot,” but did not know it contained drugs.
“Huot handed me a black, plastic bag…and asked me to hand it to someone driving a silver [Honda] CR-V. When I went to the car, I was shown the drugs inside and arrested,” he said.
Mr. Sothea said he was also a friend of Huot, who instructed him to point out the exact car to Mr. Sovanna.
“I just showed him the car,” he said. Mr. Kimleang said he was not involved in the exchange, and was only in Phnom Penh to buy merchandise for his secondhand clothing shop in Poipet City.
Judge Soreasey said a verdict would be delivered on November 12.
