Sunday, 20 January 2008

Preparation to Start the Lightning Campaign 2008

Posted on 18 January 2008.

The Mirror, Vol. 12, No. 543

“Phnom Penh: Samdech Akak Moha Senapadei Dekchor Hun Sen ordered the municipal authorities to take action to crack down on all big and small gambling sites in Phnom Penh, for the citizens’ safety for the New Year 2008.

“A source from the Phnom Penh authorities said that Samdech Dekchor Hun Sen’s order has already reached all officials’ hands and the authorities have also started to meet with each other in order to plan a schedule to conduct a big crackdown in Phnom Penh.

“In the letter, Samdech Prime Minister noticed eight main targets for the campaign to be conducted successfully. However, it is not stated in which districts the eight targets are. A military police official said that the main sites to be suppressed are not big casinos but a number of guesthouses and hotels that secretly operate drug trafficking. Looking from the outside, some guesthouses seem to have guests entering to stay as normal, but inside, drug trafficking and sex trafficking is operated illegally. Some big casinos have even small children entering to gamble, badly affecting the society.

“A Municipal official said that some sites have some tacit agreements with local authorities.
Generally, they hide something from the higher levels to keep their individuals’ interests. As for officials of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, they said that they do not know whether the sites are legal or illegal; they just know that the sites operate and pay taxes to the state – that is all.

“The official added that in some hotels they put up signs as massage and karaoke parlors, but actually they operate sex trafficking and gambling.

“A police official of the Phnom Penh Municipal Police Commission told Kampuchea Thmey that the police has already received the order, they are just waiting for the time to start the suppression. According to Samdech Hun Sen’s order, gambling at hotels and guesthouses will be suppressed, and if evidence is found that owners of the hotels and guesthouses commit crimes, they will be arrested and brought to the courts for punishment. The new year campaign to crack down on gambling, drug trafficking, and sex trafficking is named ‘Lightning Campaign 2008′.”

Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.7, #1548, 18.1.2008

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