A civil servant from Mondulkiri was arrested over the weekend when he was caught smuggling a sun bear cub through Kampot province’s Kampong Trach district.

Kampot forestry administration chief Chuon Sara said the suspect, Un Panhaseth, who is employed at the Mondulkiri provincial hall, was arrested on Saturday afternoon by forestry officials after he was found in possession of a five- to six-week-old female sun bear.

The suspect was allegedly attempting to transport the cub to Vietnam, Chuon Sara said. “We are preparing to send him to court,” he said, adding that Un Panhaseth had an accomplice who managed to evade police.

He said that if the suspect was found guilty, he could face five to 10 years in prison.

The Kampot forestry administration turned the bear cub over to Wildlife Alliance, who then transported it to the Phnom Ta Mao zoo.

To contact the reporter on this story: Phak Seangly at [email protected]