Villagers in Kratie province’s Sambor district are claiming that a rubber concessionaire in the area is charging them money to walk and drive down the street.

Im Troun, a resident of Vattanak commune, where the impromptu toll has allegedly been set up on a main road, said a security guard of CHPB development has been demanding a 2,000 ($0.50) or 5,000 fee, making farmers heading to their fields take a lengthy, off-road detour, but leaving drivers transporting goods no choice but to hand over the money.

“We must transport our product from the farm every day, so we must pay them every time, when we ask them who ordered them to take money, they said the company,” Troun said.

Yon Kim, Vattanak commune chief, said that he had heard about the checkpoint, but not the toll, and vowed to investigate the claims. He added that the security guard may have been acting alone.

CHPB, which has a rubber plantation in Sambor, could not be reached yesterday.