Half-Ton Rosewood Found in Banteay Meanchey

Forestry officials in Banteay Meanchey province raided a rental home on Tuesday and confiscated 500 kg of luxury-grade rosewood being stored in a chicken coop, officials said Wednesday.

Authorities descended on the Serei Saophoan City home with the hope of detaining and questioning four or five people they believe to be living there and connected to the illegal trade of rosewood. However, none of them was home at the time of the raid.

“When we raided the home, we only found one elderly woman there,” said Chea Phally, chief of the Banteay Meanchey forestry cantonment. Through questioning, the officials established that the elderly woman was not involved in smuggling timber.

“We are researching to find out the source of the rosewood smuggling because Banteay Meanchey province has no rosewood and these pieces were small in size but good quality,” he said, adding a total of 439 pieces of timber were discovered during the raid.

Phann Vannroth, Banteay Meanchey provincial court prosecutor, said he had received details of the raid and that he would question the suspects when they are tracked down.

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