Cambodia Reports Decline in Drug Trafficking, Says Production Sites Nearly Eliminated

PHNOM PENH, June 25, 2026 (KPT) — Cambodia says its campaign against illegal drugs has produced positive results, including a reduction in narcotics smuggled into the country and the near elimination of domestic production sites, Deputy Prime Minister Net Savoeun said Thursday.

Speaking at a ceremony marking the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, Savoeun said anti‑drug operations in 2025 showed “significant progress.”

He noted that only 15 to 20 percent of previously attempted illicit shipments were still entering Cambodia, while clandestine production and processing activities had been “almost completely eliminated.”

Savoeun, who also heads the National Authority for Combating Drugs, said distribution and consumption in entertainment venues had been suppressed, adding that the results showed Cambodia was “moving in the right direction.”

He urged continued public participation, stressing that drug abuse and trafficking should be treated as a shared social responsibility.

Meas Vyrith, secretary‑general of the authority, said law enforcement agencies handled 4,759 drug‑related cases in the first half of 2026 and arrested 12,194 people, including 763 women. The figures represented a decline of nearly 10 percent compared with the same period last year.

Cambodia, a signatory to UN drug control conventions, marked the day with nationwide events aimed at strengthening awareness and mobilising communities against drug use and trafficking.