Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Police find illegal timber in car en route to border

Police find illegal timber in car en route to border

A stockpile of 30 cubic metres of timber that was found in Stung Treng province on state land on Sunday. Photo supplied
A stockpile of 30 cubic metres of timber that was found in Stung Treng province on state land on Sunday. Photo supplied

Police find illegal timber in car en route to border

Police in Kampong Cham province on Monday found a haul of 41 rosewood logs in a Lexus heading towards the Vietnamese border, while police in Stung Treng province discovered some 30 cubic metres of illegal timber on Sunday. No suspects were arrested in either case.

Sreng Theary, Kampong Cham’s anti-economic crimes police chief, said authorities tried to halt the Lexus in a routine traffic stop, but the vehicle accelerated to make a getaway. He said officers ultimately found it abandoned on the roadside 10 kilometres away.

“[The] driver abandoned it and escaped,” he said.

Inside the car, police found five fake licence plates from three provinces, as well as the US state of California; an unofficial windshield display printout of the Military Police logo; and 41 rosewood logs hidden inside the bumpers and chassis of the vehicle.

Separately, hundreds of planks of first- and second-grade wood were discovered in Stung Treng’s Thala Barivat district on Sunday, said Var Sophan, provincial anti-economic crimes police chief.

The stockpile was about 200 metres from a road, and within state-owned land surrounded by forest, Sophan said, adding that authorities are searching for the owner – though they said they do not know who that might be. Authorities impounded the timber at the provincial Forestry Administration office.

MOST VIEWED

  • Joy as Koh Ker Temple registered by UNESCO

    Cambodia's Koh Ker Temple archaeological site has been officially added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List, during the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on September 17. The ancient temple, also known as Lingapura or Chok Gargyar, is located in

  • Ream base allegations must end, urges official

    A senior government official urges an end to the allegations and suspicions surrounding the development of Cambodia’s Ream Naval Base, now that Prime Minister Hun Manet has addressed the issue on the floor of the 78th UN General Assembly (UNGA 78). Jean-Francois Tain, a geopolitical

  • Cambodia set to celebrate Koh Ker UNESCO listing

    To celebrate the inscription of the Koh Ker archaeological site on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, the Ministry of Cults and Religion has appealed to pagodas and places of worship to celebrate the achievement by ringing bells, shaking rattles and banging gongs on September 20. Venerable

  • CP denied registration documents by ministry

    The Ministry of Interior will not reissue registration documents to the Candlelight Party (CP). Following a September 21 meeting between ministry secretary of state Bun Honn and CP representatives, the ministry cited the fact that there is no relevant law which would authorise it to do

  • Cambodian diaspora laud Manet’s UN Assembly visit

    Members of the Cambodian diaspora are rallying in support of Prime Minister Hun Manet’s forthcoming visit to the 78th UN General Assembly (UNGA 78) in the US’ New York City this week. Their move is an apparent response to a recent call by self-exiled former

  • After three deferrals, Capital Gains Tax to take effect Jan 1, 2024

    The General Department of Taxation (GDT) will implement the Capital Gains Tax starting January 1, 2024 to after being deferred three times as industrial players warn that the implementation might have some negative impact on the property market growth, which is down due to the economic downturn.