Four suspects were detained temporarily by Kratie provincial court after they were arrested on Saturday by Snuol district military police forces and rangers of Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary for operation of an illegal charcoal kiln and the unauthorised removal of forest resources.

The authority forces managed to confiscate 500 bags of charcoal, weighing a total of approximately 15 tonnes at the Trapaing Trach area kiln in Ksim commune.

The four were charged with “constructing or operating any [charcoal] kilns unpermitted and creating a base for processing all kinds of natural resources products and forest products” – Articles 58 and 61 of the Law on Protected Areas.