Authorities discovered more than 10 cubic metres of illegal timber in Kratie’s Prek Prasap district yesterday and are currently searching for suspects responsible for logging the protected wood.

After being tipped off yesterday, the district’s joint forces, including police, military and forestry administration officers, found logs of timber near a road in Stung Tror village at Tamao commune, according to Prek Prasap district governor Ean Narom, who led the forces.

“We estimated that the timber is less than 20 cubic metres,” Narom said. “We are writing a report and we will send the timber to the forestry officers, who will measure the wood for sure.”

The timber, which was first-grade sokrom wood, was found about 300 metres from the home of oknha Ing Meng Tek, Narom added.

“It is not in the land of the oknha, so we could not say that it belongs to him,” he said.

The joint forces have yet to question the okhna.

“Now, we are searching for the owner to take responsibility for it, because the owner has not been found at the scene and no one appeared to claim it,” Narom said.

Sokrom timber is usually used in Cambodia to make beds, window frames, doors and other furniture.