Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Ratanakkiri police seize timber, build court cases

Ratanakkiri police seize timber, build court cases

Content image - Phnom Penh Post
Timber found in a river in Ratanakkiri province’s O’Yadav district. Police

Ratanakkiri police seize timber, build court cases

Ratanakkiri provincial police have handed over a mix of 33 pieces of timber to provincial environmental officials as evidence to build a court case after they were seized in O’Yadav district.

Provincial Department of Environment director Phon Khemerin said on Monday that he had received many kinds of timber from experts this month.

A joint force conducted an operation on July 11 near Kampong Chamlang on the Tonle Sesan River in O’Yadav district’s Sesan commune.

“I saw all of the pieces already. Now our officials are measuring them,” Khemerin said.

Provincial Military Police commander Thav Yen said: “We handed over the evidence to environment officials for further legal proceedings.

“But a timber owner managed to escape. We have continued to carry out this crackdown, not forgiving any timber trader. We have taken measures in all forms against them,” Yen said.

He said that ahead of the operation, police forces had used motorboats to patrol the river in the district. Then, they spotted the timber hidden there by traders. They seized the timber and handed it over to provincial environment officials for further legal proceedings.

In a separate case last month, a joint force in Kampong Speu raided a timber-processing facility in Sangke Satoap commune in Oral district, seizing 25 pieces of second-grade timber. The owner escaped.

Kampong Speu provincial Department of Environment deputy director Nov Nak said on Monday that some 50 joint police forces raided a timber-processing facility. All the timber was hidden in a pond.

“We cracked down on the facility. We didn’t meet with a facility owner as he escaped. A house connected to the facility was locked.

“Then we requested the top leadership to decide to raid the location. But the owner lifted the timber into the water and secretly transported away some wood-cutting machines,” Nak said.

ACNCIPO director Chea Hean said his organisation had joined the local authorities to crack down on the offences. “But regrettably, they didn’t detain the timber owner.

“Besides the timber, we found some samples of wood-cutting machines dismantled by traders,” he said.

MOST VIEWED

  • 12th Cambodia int’l film festival to see return of Hollywood star

    Phnom Penh is set to come alive with the magic of cinema as the highly anticipated 12th Cambodia International Film Festival (CIFF) takes centre stage. Boasting an impressive line-up of 188 films from 23 countries, including captivating shorts, feature films, documentaries and animation, the festival promises an

  • Bareknuckle champion wants Kun Khmer fighter

    Dave Leduc, who is the current openweight Lethwei boxing champion in Myanmar, has announced that he will travel to Cambodia this year to challenge SEA Games gold medallist Prum Samnang any time that is convenient, after their planned match later this month in Slovakia was

  • Fresh Covid warnings as Thai hospital fills

    A senior health official reminds the public to remain vigilant, as neighbouring countries experience an increase in Covid-19 cases, with the latest surge appearing to be a result of the Omicron XBB.1.5 sub-variant. Or Vandine, secretary of state and spokeswoman for the Ministry of Health,

  • Struggling Battambang artist dreams of staging full-scale gallery exhibition

    Leav Kimchhoth, a 55-year-old artist from Battambang province, is a familiar face to locals and tourists alike on the streets of the riverside in Phnom Penh. The one-armed painter and illustrator often hawks his work near the night market on weekends and public holidays. He

  • 1.4 billion dollar Phnom Penh-Bavet expressway due in four years

    The Government, through the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, has officially signed a public-private partnership agreement with a private company for the construction of a Phnom Penh-Bavet Expressway project that will connect the capital to Svay Rieng province. The budget for the project is

  • New Law on Taxation comes into effect

    Cambodia has enacted the eagerly-awaited new Law on Taxation, which aims to improve the national tax regime’s compliance with present and future international standards and economic conditions; encourage accountability, effectiveness and transparency in the collection process; and promote investment in the Kingdom. King Norodom