Cambodia news, (Phnom Penh): The Supreme Court on the morning of December 16, 2022, announced the verdict on the appeals of two Chinese defendants, the lower court sentenced them to 14 to 20 years in prison each Involved in drug trafficking in Village 1, Sangkat 3, Sihanoukville, Preah Sihanouk Province during 2019.

The Supreme Court has decided to return the case to the Phnom Penh Municipal Court of Appeal for a retrial due to some doubts and gaps that the Court of Appeal has not yet considered.

Mr. Nil Nonn, Chief Judge of the Supreme Court, said at the hearing that the two accused were: Hong Ren Lien, 35, (born 1984); Yang Rui Hao, male, 24 years old (born in 1999).

In this case, the Preah Sihanouk Provincial Court on December 30, 2020 sentenced Hong Ren Lien to 20 years in prison and a fine of 30 million Riel, and Yang Rui Hhao to 14 years in prison and a fine of 50 million riels under the charges of: “Illegal storage and trafficking of drugs, Article 40 of the Law on Drug Control.

When the two Chinese men first appealed, the Court of Appeal upheld their sentence, so they went on to appeal to the Supreme Court.

Hong Ren Lien and Yang Rui Hhao were arrested on July 12, 2019 in Village 1, Sangkat 3, Sihanoukville, Preah Sihanouk Province. After the arrest, the police confiscated nearly half a kilogram of drugs from them.