Foreigners held in Cambodia over indecent dance party test negative for drugs

PHNOM PENH - Ten foreigners, charged in Cambodia with producing pornography related to indecent dancing at a party, have tested negative for drugs, police and their lawyer said on Wednesday.

The 10 were arrested on Jan. 25 along with 77 other foreigners in a raid on the "Pub Crawl or Let's Get Wet" event in Siem Reap province, home to the ancient Angkor Wat ruins.

A Cambodian police officer assigned to the case told Reuters, on condition of anonymity, that urine tests had not found any "addictive substance".

Sourng Sophea, an attorney for the foreigners, who include five Britons, a Dutch citizen, two Canadians, a New Zealander and a Norwegian, said police had carried the drug tests at the prison where they are being held on Tuesday.

"They found no addictive substance," Sourng Sophea said.

Siem Reap Provincial Court has charged the ten foreigners with producing pornography for their role in organising the party. The other 77 foreigners arrested were freed after being educated about their unacceptable behaviour.

They could face between one month and one year in prison if convicted.

Sourng Sophea said that the accused wanted to go home, and called on the authorities to expel them rather than keep them in prison.

"They want to go back to their home countries, they don't want to be here anymore," he said.

Canada's Global Affairs Department said consular services had been provided to their detained citizens in Cambodia.