Police yesterday continued to investigate Hong Andy, the suspected ringleader of a drug production operation who was arrested Tuesday during a raid in Phnom Penh’s Meanchey district, according to the district governor.
The suspect’s alleged drug production site in Veal Sbov commune has been sealed, and yesterday police brought Mr Andy to a house he owns in Boeng Tompun commune in the hope he would lead them to evidence hidden there, said Kuch Chamroeun, Meanchey district governor.
“Our local authorities, along with court officers and municipal police officers, brought Hong Andy to his wife’s home, under the authority of the court and anti-drug police,” said Mr Chamroeun.
Mr Andy, 51, manager of the Namtrea nightclub, was arrested, along with two others, during a raid that netted 6 kg of pseudoephedrine, capable of producing 5 kg of “ice,” a type of methamphetamine. A kilogram of ice has a street value of $100,000, according to police.
Narcotics officers confiscated two vehicles, a Lexus RX300 and a Lexus LX470 during the search of the home in Boeung Tumpon commune, which is now used by Mr Andy’s wife, according to a police report. However, two rooms inside could not be opened because they were locked.
Mr Andy’s wife, who like her husband is Cambodian-American, is now in the US. “We were not able to ascertain her identity,” Mr Chamroeun said. “But our court and anti-drug police are working to untangle their drug network.”
Pen Roth, deputy municipal police chief, said the investigation is ongoing.
“Hong Andy’s case is under investigation by our Phnom Penh anti-drug police, so there are details of the case we cannot reveal to the public,” he said, adding that the investigation has shown that the production site is involved with a drug network based in another country.
Mr Roth said he expected officials would hold a media briefing today “about the drug raid in Veal Sbov commune, and we will send all three suspects, along with the evidence we collected at the drug site, to the court.”
