TWO restaurant owners in Mondulkiri province’s Sen Monorom district have been fined more than 4 million riels (US$946) after being caught with 75 kilograms of illegal wild pig and muntjac deer meat, officials said yesterday.

Chhum Samnang, a Forestry Administration official and chief of the provincial enforcement team, one of two government entities involved in raids on the two restaurants earlier this month, said the restaurant owners knew they were breaking the law.

“They are aware of the crimes they commit as well as the provincial campaign [asking] restaurant owners, wild meat consumers, tourists and communities to ‘say no’ to wild meat and illegal wood,” he said.

Tep Ansarith of the World Wildlife Fund said “local informants” had tipped officials off about the selling of illegal meat.

A WWF press release urged more people to report violations of Cambodia’s wildlife laws: “It will be a small step for you but a large step for the animal kingdom,” it said.