Treasure Hunters Detained In Pursat

Pursat Province: Police in Pursat Province arrested a couple on the complaint of officials of the Department of Culture and Fine Arts of Pursat Province after they engaged in illegal excavations to find ancient artifacts.

The case took place on the morning of Tuesday, August 25, 2020, at the Takol plain in Arang Pruoch village, commune. Ansa Chambok, Krakor District, Pursat Province.

Krakor district police said that the suspects were a 52-year-old man named Iway and a 41-year-old woman named Nang Nath, a resident of Dey Thmey village, Kaya commune, Santuk district, Kampong Thom province, currently residing in Kbal Damrey village, Trapeang Chan commune. Boribo District, Kampong Chhnang Province.

According to the district police officer, the couple was arrested after receiving a complaint from Bin Sopheap, a 51-year-old Cambodian man, an official of the Pursat Provincial Department of Culture and Fine Arts, residing in Kbal Damrey village, Ansa Chambok commune, Srok Krakor province. He said that the couple were using a machine and dug the ground at the to find buried artifacts, damaging the land as a place to preserve national cultural heritage.

Sources from the district police said that during the arrest of the couple, the police confiscated the following exhibits: an detector, three shovels and a black Honda Dream 125 motorcycle.

Later, the two suspects, along with exhibits and materials, were brought to the Krakor District Police Inspectorate to continue the procedure. NKD