Stung Treng provincial authorities are on the lookout for the owner of a van containing 138 logs of timber after the driver took off when they held the vehicle on Monday in Stung Treng city’s Stung Treng commune.
Provincial agriculture department director Lieng Seng said on Tuesday that his officials worked with the provincial anti-economic crime police to stop a van that was transporting timber illegally on Monday.
“After it was stopped, we handed over the van and the 138 logs of timber to the forestry administration official for further action. We are still searching for the owner,” he said.
He said that the driver was transporting the timber in an attempt to sell it in Stung Treng city.
The anti-economic crime office chief at the provincial police station, Var Sophan, said the timber was transported from a sawmill at Srekor commune through Pluk, Kamphun and Sam Khuoy communes, in Sesan district heading to Stung Treng city.
However, the joint forces were aware of the activities and stopped the illegal transportation.
“We investigated, so we knew of the crime about to take place and took the correct measures to stop it,” he said.
In a separate case, the Ministry of Environment reported that environmental rangers, village guards and development partners patrolling forests at protected areas in Koh Sneng commune (in Stung Treng province’s Borei O’Svay Sen Chey district) seized more than 20 traps, a tractor, two chainsaws and two home-made rifles from unofficial land clearers and poachers at two separated locations on Monday.
The tractor was illegally transporting five planks of wood. The rangers educated several loggers and hunters before making them sign contracts promising not to repeat their crimes or they would be arrested and sent to court without exception.
It also said they helped to extinguish a forest fire.