Kratie Forestry Administration forces in cooperation with provincial armed forces seized 12 trucks laden with illegal timber yesterday.

Horn Poch, deputy chief of order and traffic police in Kratie province, yesterday said the operation took place in Kratie town’s O’Russey commune.

“I don’t know what type of timber it was or how much, but it was all planks and small tree trunks and they were sent to the Kratie Forestry Administration station to be temporarily impounded and for other procedures,” Poch said.

“In this case, the driver and his assistants should not have been arrested because they were just hired by the timber traders to transport the timber.”

Kratie town Forestry Administration officials could not be reached for comment yesterday.

A new anti-logging crackdown launched by the government in January was declared a success in April.

However, observers insist illegal logging continues to flourish regardless, and last month Post reporters witnessed a thriving illegal logging trade in eastern provinces, including Kratie.