Takeo Provincial Court charged five men, including the son of a military commander, with drug use and distribution yesterday.

Police arrested the five defendants – Svay Otdom, 25, Pho Sovann, 34, Som Sam Oun, 32, Phan Arun, 28, and Rith Arunnaty, 35 – on Monday in Donkeo district, said Colonel Khun Bunthin, a provincial deputy police chief.

“They were charged by the court’s prosecutor with drug use and distribution,” Bunthin said, adding that all five were being detained for further questioning.

Otdom is the son of Brigadier General Svay Nhorn, a deputy commander for Stung Treng provincial military operations.

The four were arrested after Arunnaty’s house was raided and they were allegedly caught taking the drugs, according to Keo Saroeun, a police officer.

The suspects could not be reached for comment yesterday.