Five Cambodians and one Chinese national accused of trafficking


Buth Reaksmey Kongkea

The Phnom Penh Municipal Court on October 9, 2023 tried five Cambodians and a Chinese man accused of allegedly trafficking drugs from Phnom Penh to distribute to foreign users in Preah Sihanouk province between 2021 and this year.

The five accused Cambodians are Yim Sokpov, 42, the owner of the taxi company “A7777”; Heng Tab, 32; Suon Sokha, 34; Yim Vichetr, male, 31. The three drivers were employed by Yim Sokpov and his female assistant Tith Chankiri, 35. 

The Chinese national was identified as Lai Zhing Yu, 34, an employee of a Chinese-owned-casino in Preah Sihanouk province.

According to the fact sheet read by Presiding Judge Theam Chanpiseth, the Cambodians are accused of drug trafficking.

He said that between 2021 and February this year, the drivers allegedly transported Chinese nationals by car carrying drugs from Phnom Penh to Preah Sihanouk province.

Sokpov established the taxi company “A7777” in 2021 and advertised his services on social media.

He later purchased four cars and hired Heng Tab, Soun Sokha, and Yim Vichetr  as drivers to transport foreign nationals, especially Chinese, from the capital to Preah Sihanouk province.

Every time Tab, Sokha and Vichetr transported tourists, they also allegedly carried drugs in the cars to distribute to users.

Police in the anti-drug department from the Ministry of Interior learned of their activities after they arrested Vichetr at about 1:30am on February 16 in Tonle Bassac commune in Phnom Penh’s Chamkarmon district.

“Vichetr was arrested during an inspection of the vehicle while attempting to transport a Chinese national to Sihanouk province with police discovering about one kilogramme of ice in the car,” Judge Chanpiseth said.

“Police arrested Vichetr and the Chinese national, seized the drugs and impounded the car,” he said.

Based on Vichetr’s confession, police later arrested Heng Tab in Preah Sihanouk province and seized another 1.5 kilogrammes of ice and a car on February 17.

Police also arrested Suon Samnang, Tith Chankiri and Yim Pov at different locations in Phnom Penh on February 17.

He added that after the arrests, police seized five Toyota HighLander Cars, mobile phones and a quantity of money.

During the hearing yesterday, all of the accused denied the allegations, saying that they are not drug traffickers and asked the court to drop the charges and release them from prison.

They said that most of their customers are Chinese gamblers.

Tab said that the drugs seized during his arrest on February 17 in Sihanoukville belonged to a Chinese passenger, but the man escaped during the police raid.

The drugs were found inside the Chinese man’s luggage.

The hearing will continue the end of this month without a specific date provided.

 

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