13 mafias charged for armed Siem Reap raid to free heroin smuggler

 

Buth Reaksmey Kongkea

The Phnom Penh Municipal Court on August 30, 2023 charged 13 people comprising seven Cambodian-Americans, a Chinese-American, a Chinese national, a Taiwanese national, a Saudi Arabian and two Cambodians for offences that include drugs and money laundering.

They are said to be members of a syndicate with its mastermind operating from his prison cell.

The seven Cambodian-Americans were named Phev Braseth Seth, 41; In Chanthy, 35; Savy Savuth, 40; Som David, 33; Rem Sophal, 35; and Frost Sarath Sean, 39; Sim Soeun 46; while the Saudi Arabian is Alshammari Sarah Hamadn, 41.

The Taiwanese is Chen Yuen Sheng, 43; and the two Cambodians are Prak Chamroeun, 37, and  Khan Sokha, 29. 

The Chinese national is Chen Hsin Han, 52, and Prak Chamroeun, 37, is the Chinese-American. 

Chen, a convicted drug trafficker and serving time in the Siem Reap prison was recently freed by a group of armed men while he was seeking dental treatment in a private clinic and recaptured days later.

He is believed to be the syndicate’s mastermind.


The 13 were jointly charged with “organising a combat group” under Articles 28, 29 and 486 of Cambodia’s Criminal Code (shall be punishable by two to five years jail); with “escape” under Articles 560 and 561 of the Criminal Code (which shall be punishable by one to three years jail); with “arrest, detention and unlawful confinement under Article 254 (which shall be punishable by two to five years jail); with “use of weapons” under Article  564 (which shall be punishable by five to 10 years jail), with “abandonment of weapon in public place” under Article 491 (punishable from two to five years jail); with “money laundry” under Article 38 of the Law on Anti-Money Laundering and Financing (punishable by one to three years jail); and with “drug trafficking” under Article 40 of the Law on Drug Trafficking. 


General Mak Chito, the Deputy Chief of the National Police in Charge of the Chief of Anti-Drug Affairs, said the accused are members of syndicate from the United States.

Gen Chito said that Chinese national Chen Hsin Han, who was convicted by a Cambodian court to 52 years in prison on drug trafficking charges is the syndicate leader and an international drug trafficker.

He said that Phev Braseth Seth, In Chanthy, Savy Savuth, Som David, Rem Sophal, Frost Sarath Sean, and Chloe Yinrong were arrested on August 18 in Toul Kork district connection with helping Chen Hsin Han escape on August 17.

Alshammari Sarah Hamad, Chen Yuen Sheng, and Chen Hsin Han, were arrested on August 22 in Chroy Changvar district’s Prek Leap commune while Prak Chamroeun and  Khan Sokha were arrested on May 25 in Siem Reap province in connection with the case.

Chen Hsin Han was recaptured on August 22 in Chroy Changvar.

He added that police are looking for three Turkish nationals - Tekin Firat, Yardimci Volko and Halil Mutlu - in connection with the cases.

 

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