Cambodia seeks China's aid to combat illicit drugs

Cambodia's anti-drug chief Ke Kim Yan on Tuesday sought China's assistance to combat illicit drugs and treat drug addicts, the National Authority for Combating Drugs (NACD) said Tuesday.

NACD's chairman Ke Kim Yan, who is also a deputy prime minister, proposed to China during a meeting here with Zheng Baigang, director of the Bureau of Exit and Entry Administration of the Chinese Ministry of Public Security, the NACD said in a press release.

"The deputy prime minister asked the Chinese side for drug-detection machines to install at international border checkpoints and airports in Phnom Penh City, Siem Reap province and Preah Sihanouk province," the press release said.

He also requested for drug testing tools, medication for treating drug addicts and training materials for anti-drug officials, it added.

Cambodia has about 16,575 drug addicts, according to the NACD.

The Southeast Asian country launched a six-month anti-drug campaign on Jan. 1 this year. According to the Interior Ministry's latest report, authorities had arrested 4,823 drug-related suspects in 2,065 cases in the first two months of the campaign.

The report said the number of the drug arrests in the first two months was nearly half of the total number of people arrested for drug-related offenses in the whole year of 2016.

Source: Xinhua