SINGAPORE — Five foreigners were arrested in Cambodia for suspected drug trafficking after local authorities seized more than 1.5 tonnes of drugs during raids.

Cambodia's Anti-Drug Department initially said in a Facebook post on Wednesday (Jan 24) that one of the five men arrested was a Singaporean. 

However, it edited the post a day later and identified him as a Chinese. 

The drug raids took place at three locations at 3.15am on Monday: A port in Stueng Hav District; a rented house in Sihanoukville, the capital of Preah Sihanouk province; and a residential address in Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s capital.

The drugs, which include ketamine and methamphetamine, had been brought into Cambodia from Laos and were intended for trafficking to Taiwan, said the authority.

Two fishing boats, a car, a motorcycle and eight mobile phones were also seized.

According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Cambodia has become a major transit country for drug trafficking.

The country has seen a sharp increase in the number of illicit drug users, particularly users of amphetamine-type stimulants, UNODC said on its website. CNA

CNA Editor's note: This article has been updated to reflect changes in the statement by Cambodia's Anti-Drug Department. The statement initially said that a Singaporean man was among those arrested. The man is now identified as Chinese.