Three people were sent to the Takeo Provincial Court yesterday after being arrested by police over the possession of nearly 20 kilos of marijuana in Kiri Vong district.

District deputy police chief Yang Dara said yesterday that police made the arrests and confiscated the drugs on Tuesday.

“First we arrested two people in their houses and seized 19 kilograms of marijuana and they told us that someone asked them to keep it and gave them some money,” he said.

Mr Dara said police continued their investigation based on the information provided by the first two suspects and arrested their accomplice.

The three suspects were identified as Neang Niseang, 23, Chao Thanleoung, 34, and Chey Sarith, 29. According to a provincial police report, 13.5 kilos of marijuana were found in the house of Ms Niseang and 5.5 kilos were found in Mr Thanleoung’s possession.

“Both of them said the same, that Chey Sarith paid them to hold the drugs in their homes,” the report said.

In September, nearly 20 kilos of marijuana were found hidden in straw destined for transport to Vietnam in Takeo province.

• Tags: drug trafficking, drug use, Kiri Vong, marijuana