Vietnamese Arrested With Illegal Wood Off Coast

20 September 2012
The Cambodia Daily
Economy and commerce / Environment and natural resources / Forest products / Forests and forestry / Land / Logging and timber / Marine and coastal areas / Trade / Water resources
Cambodian-Vietnam Maritime Border / forest crimes / Forestry Administration / Forests / Illegal trade / illegal wood logging / Koh Kong / luxury wood / organized crime / smuggling / Thnong wood / Vietnamese wood loggers / wood smuggling

Four Vietnamese nationals were arrested off the coast of Preah Sihanouk province Tuesday for allegedly smuggling illegally cut wood from the neighboring province of Koh Kong, officials said yesterday. Sak Sovann, crime unit chief for the Interior Ministry's maritime border police department, said the four men were arrested aboard their boat off the coast of Stung Hav district with 62 pieces of luxury-grade Thnong wood totaling 7.52 cubic meters. ... Di Sokhom, head of the Forestry Administration cantonment covering the area, confirmed receipt of the case and said his office had detained the suspects. Because the men were Vietnamese citizens, he said, "they were accused of two offenses: crossing the border illegally and wood smuggling."