Five men allegedly involved in trafficking rosewood were arrested on Sunday at a guesthouse in Kampong Chhnang after provincial police and forestry officials discovered their illegal cache stowed in two remorques they had parked outside.

Chin Sophat, head of the Anti-Economic Crime police department in Kampong Chhnang, said the five suspects had been ordered by the provincial court to be detained in prison while awaiting charges.

The suspects – alleged ringleader Yek Sophat, 35; Nheom Sovann, 21; So Ty, 31; Moa Lay, 31; and Mey Sokny, 22 – had left their remorques parked and unattended during the nighttime raid by the police.

Sophat said, “They have been using this method to transport timber from Pursat to Kampong Chhnang, and they passed many checkpoints without getting detected.”

He added that the suspects had covered the luxury timber with blue tarpaulin to avoid detection.

Sin Kosal, the forestry police chief, said the case has been forwarded to the provincial court, while the timber and remorques have been impounded for investigations.

To contact the reporter on this story: Kim Sarom at [email protected]