Police in Kompong Speu province on Monday night stopped three container trucks on National Road 4 bound for Sihanoukville Autonomous Port, seizing more than 100 logs of illegal luxury wood, officials said.
Provincial economic police chief Nhem Sao said that his officers and police from Chbar Mon City stopped the trucks after a joint investigation involving the provincial forestry department and the provincial court.
“This is the case of forestry officials and deputy prosecutor Ty Manin. My officers only cooperated with this case, so I am not allowed to comment further,” Mr. Sao said.
Chbar Mon City police chief Ouch Heang confirmed that police had seized illegal wood from three trucks, but also declined to comment further.
Kompong Speu forestry officials could not be reached, but according to a provincial police official who asked not to be named due to the sensitivity of the case, two arrests were made and the suspects are now in custody at the provincial Forestry Administration office.
He said the operation was carried out under orders from Cheng Kimsun, chief of the Forestry Administration. Mr. Kimsun could not be reached.
