Phnom Penh Municipal Court brought charges against four men arrested in a police investigation last week of a home drug-production laboratory, deputy prosecutor Sok Roeun said Wednesday.
Ouk Virak Both, 30, the alleged ring leader of the operation and son of the Forestry Administration’s deputy director, Ouk Sokhom, was charged with drug producing, drug trafficking and illegal weapon possession under articles 38, 33 and 54 of the anti-drug law, Sok Roeun said.
The illegal weapon possession charge was added to the list of charges after a K-54 handgun was found in a rented house in Tuol Kok district, Sok Roeun added.
The hearing also revealed that Ouk Virak Both had a partner, a 40-year-old Chinese man by the name of Ven, who escaped the police raid. Ven—who remains at large—was charged in absentia for the same crimes as Ouk Virak Both, Sok Roeun said.
Brothers Tep Phirun, 21, and Tep Sokha Phoeukdei, 18, were both charged with drug use.
“They had only been at the drug laboratory to play cards and to smoke drugs,” Sok Roeun said.
He added that an Indian national, whose arrest led to the discovery of the drug lab, was charged with drug dealing for possessing 200 amphetamine pills when arrested by police.
The four suspects are in Prey Sar prison awaiting trial. This was the second drug laboratory bust in as many months, said Touch Muysor, police chief for the municipal anti-drug unit. In early May, a home drug-production lab in Chamkar Mon district was raided.
Kim Long and Ky Tann, reportedly the mentors of Ouk Virak Both, were arrested during the course of that raid, Touch Muysor said.
