By Matt Blomberg and Sek Odom
May 21, 2015
About 40 km southwest of Sihanoukville, this vast and lucrative squid racket is plundering the seas unimpeded, and, according to the fishermen, the Royal Cambodian Navy is being paid for the privilege.

Over two days last week, Vietnamese men who fish from the baskets, captain the ships and say they have delivered the bribes spoke openly about their life at sea and what amounts to a multi-million-dollar operation.
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Mr. Sang said that once a month he would take an evening walk to the southwestern bay of Koh Rong Sanloem to meet the captains of six mother boats, who would each hand over $900 in U.S. bills. Mr. Sang pocketed a $50 commission from each payment, he said, and then delivered the remainder to “the big boss’ mansion in Sihanoukville” the next day.

“I paid the money to the son of Tea Vinh. Tea Vinh used to control this area but now it is his son,” he said. “I don’t know his name; I only know his nickname—Ma Tor.”
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When Chuon Narin was installed as Preah Sihanouk provincial police chief in April, replacing a predecessor accused of sleeping on the job, he began sending teams of officers on month-long rotations to police the islands offshore.

Sek Dararith, an officer from the provincial security and order department, was just a few days into his stint on Koh Rong Sanloem when he told reporters last week of his desire to shut down the squid fishing racket, which he said was “100 percent a Vietnamese operation.”

All of the Vietnamese fishermen interviewed over two days last week said that they paid bribes to the Royal Cambodian Navy, specifically a man they knew as Ma Tor, who they believed to be the son of Navy Commander Tea Vinh.
Admiral Vinh’s son, Tea Sokha, is the commander of maritime security stationed at Ream Naval Base in Sihanoukville.
Mornh Chhundy, a deputy commander at the Ream Naval Base, confirmed this week that Vice Admiral Sokha is responsible for oversight of all waters off the coast of Sihanoukville.

Duncan wrote:Not directly related to the subject, but may be of interest.