Authorities are searching for two men who allegedly threatened to shoot two environmental rangers for seizing one of their eight cars loaded with illegal rosewood last week in Preah Vihear province.

Meas Nhem, head of Boeng Peae Wildlife Sanctuary, said yesterday that two men came to Rovieng district’s Rochek environmental station and threatened to kill two rangers at about 6pm on Thursday, one day after rangers had halted the car hauling rosewood.

Nhem said when the rangers stationed at their office heard two men saying they would “shoot their heads”, the rangers ran into a room inside the station, after which the men left. Nhem believed the two were from the same timber transporting group. “However, we do not know their identity,” he said.

He said he reported the incident to the provincial hall, court and Environment Department for intervention.

Separately, a car loaded with rosewood veered off the road on Sunday on National Road 6 in Kampong Thom province’s Stoung district after it lost its back left wheel.

Yorng Sam, district police chief, said the car was loaded with over 80 logs amounting to about 400 kilograms.

Sam said the hauler had abandoned the car.

“It is typical that the offenders usually do their hauling in a family car . . . They drive very fast and if we chase, it might lead to an accident,” he said.