Nearly three tonnes of illegally logged rosewood was seized during a raid on the home of a former military police officer in Stung Treng province yesterday.

Provincial deputy prosecutor Sun Yeut, who took part in a multi-departmental raid that included police and Forestry Administration officials, said the seized luxury wood had been sent to the local forestry office but that no arrests had been made.

“Our duty is only to co-operate with forestry officials, and we do not know that the rosewood belonged to the military police officer, because we do not know if he rented the house or was living there himself,” she said. “More investigation” was needed, she added.

A Forestry Administration official who asked not to be identified said the house in question belonged to Ya Yeurng, a retired military police officer from Stung Treng.

In total, 186 pieces of rosewood totalling 2,976 kilograms were seized at the house located in Srey Russey commune’s Leur village.