A 37-year-old timber smuggler died early on Sunday in Mondulkiri province’s Keo Seima district after an accident caused the contraband wood he was hauling home on his motorbike to crush his neck.

Sre Chhouk commune police chief Koy Chamroeun said Kean Sokhorn had loaded two pieces of luxury thnong wood weighing 150 kilograms on the back of his bike to bring them back from O’Raing district.

“He had stolen two pieces of wood from other people, and he died at about 5am on Saturday,” Chamroeun said. “When his motorbike slipped, the wood flew up into his neck and caused him to die.”

The commune police chief noted that three friends had attempted to discourage Sokhorn from taking his final motorbike ride, as it was raining heavily that day.

A local journalist, who asked not to be named, said that Sokhorn was likely chased by military police, which the reporter said had been stationed along the road to extort money from road users.

However, provincial military police chief Sak Saraing denied any of his officers were stationed on the route.