Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday charged five people with drug and prostitution-related offenses following Sunday’s raid of the Mega karaoke nightclub in Chamkar Mon district, according to the military police and court officials.
Mega nightclub owners Taing Theng Se, 59, Shov Tong, 51, and Malaysian Tan Sweelui, 49, were charged yesterday with providing a location for drug use, said Brigadier General Men Ra of the military police judicial and information department, adding that Chinese national and club manager Xiao Yu, 25, was charged with procuring prostitutes and Chinese national Tan Hok Choon, 47, was accused of distributing drugs at the club.
Military police raided the Mega club in Boeng Keng Kang I commune Sunday morning, questioning more than 100 people and seizing 300 grams of methamphetamine and an undisclosed amount of cannabis.
According to a City Hall report, raids on nightclubs were raised in corruption allegations made against district governor Lo Yuy by Phnom Penh governor Kep Chuktema.
In the report, Mr Chuktema accused Mr Yuy of taking bribes from two illegal nightclubs involved in drug investigations. Though the report does not mention the clubs by name, there have been at least two high-profile drug cases at district nightclubs in the past few weeks.
Reached by telephone yesterday, Mr Yuy said: “Please don’t stir up trouble with my job.”
According to the report, Mr Chuktema told Mr Yuy he was requesting the Interior Ministry and police remove him from his position.
“Lo Yuy has been in his position for 30 years in Chamkar Mon district, so he knew so well all those locations and took monthly payments from them,” the report quoted Mr Chuktema as saying.
In an April raid of Nam Trea Sweet Karaoke club, police said they discovered ecstasy, ketamine and cannabis and arrested 35 people. On March 5, military police raided and shut down Club White in Chamkar Mon due to supposed nude dancing. A prosecutor said 13 employees were charged.
