Three truck drivers transporting logs out of Kulen Prom-Tep Wildlife Sanctuary in Preah Vihear province have been detained by the local forest community, who are waiting for forestry officials to arrive and determine the legality of the haul.

Seak Sin, a representative for the community in Kulen district, said that on Sunday the drivers and their vehicles were seized carrying seven logs each, the trunks ranging from seven to 12 metres in length.

About seven other drivers are believed to have left the forest via a different route, Sin said, raising villager’s suspicions.

“According to the interrogation of the drivers, they said that there are seven more vehicles that had stopped and unloaded the timber in Kulen Prom-Tep Wildlife Sanctuary and they turned back,” he said.

Sin said the drivers, being held by about 80 community members, would not be released until authorities arrived.

Chhun Chheng, director of the Kulen Prom-Tep Wildlife Sanctuary, said he had been tied up in a meeting in Phnom Penh but was on his way back to Preah Vihear yesterday.