ONCB says Hun Sen’s aide, owner of Poi Pet casino, not linked to drug trafficking

ONCB confirms Koh An, close aide to Hun Sen and owner of Poi Pet casino, is not linked to drug trafficking

The Office of Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) announced on Tuesday that the alleged criminal operations of Cambodian senator Koh An, who is close to former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, were not linked to drug trafficking.

ONCB Secretary-General Panurat Lakboon said the ONCB had investigated and found that Koh An's network, which includes the Crown Casino in Poi Pet, was involved only in online scams and had no connection to drug trafficking rings.

Panurat explained that the ONCB was contacted by the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) to investigate Koh An's network after the CCIB conducted searches at 19 locations in Bangkok, Samut Prakan, and Chonburi to target Koh An's online scam operations on Tuesday morning.The CCIB had asked the ONCB to check whether five suspects in Koh An's network were linked to drug trafficking. The investigation found no connection.

Panurat also noted that while Cambodia produces some ketamine, the drug is not smuggled into Thailand but is primarily sold to foreign tourists in Poi Pet.

Meanwhile, CCIB Commissioner Pol Lt Gen Trairong Phiwphan clarified that the CCIB did not target Hun Sen’s aide. The police searches at the 19 locations linked to Koh An were based on strong evidence obtained during the investigation.Panurat added that the crackdown on Koh An’s gang came after the CCIB received several complaints from victims who lost over 300 million baht to online scams run from buildings owned by Koh An in Poi Pet. In one recent case, a doctor in Chiang Mai lost over 30 million baht.

Some Thai suspects arrested for operating mule bank accounts for the gangs admitted to scanning their faces to withdraw money at Koh An's properties in Poi Pet.

(2025/07/08-00:00)