In 2020, Cambodian police have been arresting increasing numbers of small time drug dealers and users, so it is not surprizing that the number of arrests has increased dramatically.
Drug arrests in Cambodia up 20 pct in H1: report
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-01

PHNOM PENH, July 1 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia had arrested 10,512 drug-related suspects in the first half of 2020, up 20 percent from 8,750 over the same period last year, said an Interior Ministry's anti-drug department report on Wednesday.

Some 138 of the suspects are foreigners with seven nationalities, the report said.

It added that the authorities had cracked down on a total of 5,340 cases involving illicit drugs during the January-June period this year, up 29.7 percent from 4,117 cases over the same period last year.

About 258 kg of drugs, 1,066 small packs of drugs, and 266 kg of dry marijuana had been confiscated from those suspects, the report said, adding that 17 rifles, seven pistols, 812 scales, 49 cars and 1,179 motorcycles had also been seized.
http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-0 ... 180444.htm

For a quick compare of the amount of drugs seized, this report from 2019 :

According to report of the NACD, authorities cracked down on 9,806 drug cases last year, confiscating 750 kilogrammes of all types of drugs.
https://www.akp.gov.kh/post/detail/214056

Cambodia News, (Phnom Penh): The specialized forces of the Anti-Drug Department cracked down on a man and a woman suspected of drug trafficking and confiscated nearly 1 kg of drugs in Sangkat Toek Laak 2, Khan Toul Kork, Phnom Penh.

The two suspects were identified as Nhanh Sochea, a 26-year-old Cambodian woman, and Van Chamnan, a 35-year-old Cambodian man. Police confiscated a package of methamphetamine weighing 807.37 grams and took the couple to the police station to be charged with trafficking.

Sar Kheng: Laos Allowing Drugs to Enter Cambodia
19 August 2020

Aun Chhengpor
VOA Khmer

PHNOM PENH — In candid remarks, Interior Minister Sar Kheng on Saturday revealed that a huge influx of drugs was being smuggled from Laos into Cambodia as a result of loose border controls by Laos authorities.

Sar Kheng was speaking at a ruling party event in Kratie province on Saturday when he spoke about the province’s geographic proximity to Stung Treng province, near the Laos border – known as an infamous international drug trafficking route.

“When I held an annual meeting with them, I raised the number of drugs we confiscated which was carried from Laos,” he said, not providing details of this meeting with the northern neighbor. “They were surprised and appeared to express displeasure.”

In early March, Sar Kheng, who is also a deputy prime minister, visited Vientiane where he met his counterpart, Public Security Minister Vilay Lakhamfong.

“They, in turn, responded that it was because they confiscated so much [drugs] in Laos that there was this limited quantity of drugs being smuggled into Cambodia which, they said, should be regarded as fortunate by Cambodia,” Sar Kheng said.

“In fact, we have received information that [Laos authorities] would take actions if those drugs would be to distributes domestically [in Laos]. But if those drugs were heading towards Cambodia, they would just let it go.”

Sar Kheng’s comments on drugs crossing the border with Laos comes after he said drug usage and trade had been “spreading faster than the coronavirus diseases” in communities and rural areas across the country.

Meas Vyrith, secretary-general of the National Authority for Combating Drugs, declined to comment on Sar Kheng’s remarks, but acknowledged that the promises made about curbing the cross-border drug transport were in contrast to reality.

“If you look at the real practice, we notice more crackdowns and confiscations on the Cambodian sides and not so much on the Laos side, and we need further studies and verifications on the reasons why,” Meas Vyrith told VOA Khmer by phone.
https://www.voacambodia.com/a/sar-kheng ... 49431.html

Cambodia posts lower number of drug-related offences
Cambodia recorded a decrease in drug-related crimes in the first eight months of 2020, according to the latest report by the country’s National Authority for Combating Drugs (NACD) as reported by the Khmer Times.
VNA Sunday, September 13, 2020 18:39

Phnom Penh (VNA) – Cambodia recorded a decrease in drug-related crimes in the first eight months of 2020, according to the latest report by the country’s National Authority for Combating Drugs (NACD) as reported by the Khmer Times.

Per the report, Cambodia posted around 14,000 cases involving illicit drugs, over 1,000 less than the figure for the same period last year.

Of the total cases, 7,025 were major cases involving narcotics, which saw the seizure of almost 700 kg of illegal drugs. At least 14,038 suspects were arrested, of whom 881 were females and 201 were foreigners.

NACD Secretary-general General Meas Vyrith said most of the drug users aged between 18 and 35 years old.
VNA

Some 7,700 Illicit Drug Cases Intervened in First Nine Months
AKP Phnom Penh, October 03, 2020 --

During the first nine months of 2020, competent authorities have intervened in 7,788 major cases of illicit drug crimes.

The update was shared in a recent report from the National Authority for Combating Drugs (NACD), underlining that over 720 kilogrammes of illegal drugs were confiscated and 15,770 (980 as women) suspects have been arrested.

Through the interventions, the NACD also seized 91 vehicles, 2,001 motorcycles, 5,833 mobile phones, US$20,000 and other equipment.

Around 7,000 illicit drugs have been confiscated through interventions in Phnom Penh capital and the provinces of Kandal, Takeo, Kampong Speu, Koh Kong, Kampong Thom, Kampong Cham, Pursat, and Thbong Khmum.

In 2019, competent authorities intervened in 9,806 cases, arrested 20,489 suspects, and confiscated over 750 kilogrammes of illegal drugs.
- AKP

Drugs destroy you and your family! Nationwide drug crackdown for October so far: 30 cases cracked, 67 arrested

Cambodia News, (Phnom Penh): The Cambodian nationwide campaign against illegal drugs for October 5, 2020 showed that law enforcement forces cracked down on 30 cases this month so far, including 13 cases of drug use and 17 cases of trafficking, detaining 67 suspects.
- FRESH NEWS

It seems clear to me that most of the arrested are also addicts that are likely dealing to support their habit. I suppose if they want to go after the large scale traffickers they will have to start arresting high-ranking members of the army/government. What is the purpose of this "crack-down"? to make it clear that only the powerful politically can traffic in drugs and to reduce competition? For optics? To increase bribes paid to police?

Sambodia wrote:It seems clear to me that most of the arrested are also addicts that are likely dealing to support their habit. I suppose if they want to go after the large scale traffickers they will have to start arresting high-ranking members of the army/government. What is the purpose of this "crack-down"? to make it clear that only the powerful politically can traffic in drugs and to reduce competition? For optics? To increase bribes paid to police?

You have evidence that it’s high ranking members of the army or government? That’s a pretty explosive charge. Can you tell us who they are?

newkidontheblock wrote: ↑Sun Oct 11, 2020 12:49 pm

Sambodia wrote:It seems clear to me that most of the arrested are also addicts that are likely dealing to support their habit. I suppose if they want to go after the large scale traffickers they will have to start arresting high-ranking members of the army/government. What is the purpose of this "crack-down"? to make it clear that only the powerful politically can traffic in drugs and to reduce competition? For optics? To increase bribes paid to police?

You have evidence that it’s high ranking members of the army or government? That’s a pretty explosive charge. Can you tell us who they are?

Well its public info that people at the highest levels of the gov't are linked to the drug trade, look up HE's nephew Hun To for one example. What would perhaps surprise some is that virtually everyone trafficking drugs in Cambodia, whether the tuk tuk's on street 178 and riverside or the higher level guys importing heroin/ice from Myanmar, is paying off the police/army or working directly with them