Forestry officials in Preah Vihear province confiscated more than 1,100 kg of valuable rosewood early on Tuesday morning, while the two men suspected of transporting the wood were on the run, officials said.
Noun Sokhom, deputy chief of the Forestry Administration’s Preah Vihear cantonment, said two Lexus drivers failed to stop when forestry officials attempted to pull them over upon receiving information that they were transporting the luxury wood through Choam Ksan district.
“We ordered the drivers to stop, but they kept driving in an attempt to escape,” Mr. Sokhom said.
The drivers abandoned their cars at separate locations in Chheb and Kulen districts before escaping on foot, he said, adding that the car left in Chheb was carrying 55 pieces of rosewood weighing 660 kg.
Officials found an additional 129 pieces of wood weighing 458 kg inside the second car, which was abandoned near the Kulen Tbong pagoda, according to Pich Borin, head of the Forestry Administration’s office in Kulen district.
“We brought the car and the wood to the Forestry Administration cantonment office, and we are now investigating to find the wood owners,” Mr. Borin said.
