[Demographic Vietnamization: Logging, Ratanakiri, Military, Border] Timber bust in Ratanakkiri

Officials unload logs of rosewood that were seized in a bust on Wednesday in Ratanakkiri province. Photo supplied

Timber bust in Ratanakkiri

Phnom Penh Post | 11 August 2017

O’Yadav District Military Police in Ratanakkiri province caught two cars attempting to transport more than one and a half tonnes of rosewood and other luxury timber to Vietnam early Wednesday.

Sok Min, O’Yadav District Military Police commander, said yesterday that the cars emerged from Pak Thom village in Paknhai commune on National Route 78A, heading towards Vietnam via Banlung town, when a group of his officials managed to stop them near the O’Yadav international checkpoint.

“We chased them until near border checkpoint, but the drivers pulled out and threw away the car keys before they managed to escape at night,” Min said.

Min said the cars and logs were handed to officials at the Bakeo Forestry Administration Office the same day.

The two cars contained 560 kilograms of rosewood and 1,052 kilograms of thnong timber, according to Leng Yuk, the Bakeo Forestry Administration Office chief.

In a separate case Wednesday night, Stung Treng Provincial Military Police forces halted a minivan illegally carrying thnong timber to Vietnam via Banlung, and detained the driver and his assistant. 

National Military Police identified the men as Ra Rin, 27, and his assistant Nil Nol, 23, both from Tbong Khmum province.

Kim Hongsan, spokesman for the Stung Treng Provincial Court, said the Military Police reported the case to the court, but they had not sent the two suspects to the court as of Thursday afternoon.