PHNOM PENH: Cambodia destroyed about 500 kgs of illegal drugs seized from around the country in line with International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 2020.
President of the National Authority for Combating Drugs (NACD) Ke Kim Yan said this was the fifth such exercise in Cambodia which was aimed at raising awareness on illicit drugs.
According to the Khmer Times, the government was concerned over the number of drug abusers in the Kingdom, especially the youth.
He said in June, the NACD and other NGOs compiled a list of about 10,000 drug users and believe there are still many yet to be identified.
He said most were those below the age of 30 years.
"I would like to call on parents and the public to work hand in hand with the government to reach our goal of a society without drugs," said Kim Yan.
Prime Minister Hun Sen also released a letter recently to remind the public about the negative impacts of using narcotics.
Hun Sen advised the NACD and the Education Ministry to continue raising awareness of the ill effects of using drugs and to improve rehabilitation programmes.
He also encouraged the public to report any knowledge of drug trafficking and drug use to the authorities to help eradicate drugs nationwide.
In his letter, he mentioned the world was celebrating International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 2020 amid the threat of the worldwide virus pandemic. This year the theme is "Better Knowledge for Better Care".
"While Cambodia and other countries are fighting against Covid-19, we have to give more attention to combating drug issues to prevent the spread of infectious diseases especially Covid-19 among drug users," said Hun Sen.
According to Kim Yan, during the first six months of 2020, the NACD reported 4,510 cases, an increase of 26.05 percent compared to the same duration in 2019 which recorded 1,175 cases.
However, the amount of drugs seized has decreased.
"We seized 209 kilogrammes of drugs during the first six months of 2020. The number decreased compared to the same duration last year which was 310 kilogrammes. The reason for the decrease may be due to border lockdowns and the shutdown of entertainment outlets, done to minimise the spread of Covid-19," he added.