Six people were arrested and sent to the Siem Reap Provincial Court in two separate cases yesterday on suspicion of illegally transporting more than 1,300 kilograms of high-grade rosewood to Vietnam, deputy provincial military police commander Srey Yora said.

According to Yora, military police stopped a car in Siem Reap’s Varin district that was travelling from Oddar Meanchey to Kampong Cham province on Saturday afternoon.

“After receiving a tip, we intercepted the car and found 87 pieces of rosewood that [weighed] 905 kilograms, and arrested five in the car,” Yora said, naming Nhem Soeurn, 31; Ly Ny, 30; Pak Kol, 47; Soy Siha, 28; and Sou Pheakdey, 28, as the suspects.

On the same day, Siem Reap authorities chased down a Toyota carrying 40 pieces of rosewood and arrested the driver, 22-year-old Son Bunrith, said Tea Kimsoth, director of Siem Reap’s Forestry Administration.

“All the rosewood and the people involved were sent to the court,” he said.