Interesting announcement :
Military police will ‘destroy’ all vehicles used to transport illegal timber
Lay Samean | Publication date 03 December 2022 | 16:24 ICT

The National Committee for the Prevention and Crackdown of Natural Resource Crimes, led by military police commander Sao Sokha warned that they will destroy all vehicles used to transport illegal timbers once they are seized. An immediate investigation was also called for, following reports of the resumption of natural forest crimes in several provinces.

The committee’s December 2 press statement said that recently, media and social media accounts had published or shared information alleging that forest crimes were taking place in Preah Vihear, Kampong Thom, Kratie, Mondulkiri and other provinces.

“Some of the news that was sent to us was true and we investigated it accordingly, but some of the claims were unfounded,” it said.

“Through the military police investigations, it was determined that some outlets had published old pictures and attached the names of individuals or companies. This has caused some confusion, and is also a form of defamation, especially if they are operating a legal business,” it added.

In Preah Vihear province, the national military police investigated the locations where crimes had reportedly occurred. They met with village and commune chiefs, and forestry administration officials. No evidence of the alleged crimes was discovered***.

“From the date of this statement, all means used to transport timber without authorisation will destroyed in order to wipe out forest crimes and protect the Kingdom’s forests,” the statement said.

Two vans transporting 10cu m of illegally milled timber were seized on December 1 in Kpob commune, in Kampong Cham province’s Stung Trang district. According to local media, the timber and vehicles were being held, pending further legal action.
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/ ... gal-timber

***Reminder: post566313.html?hilit=preah%20vihear#p566313

Cambodia News, (Kratie Province): On the afternoon of December 23, 2022, more than 10 cubic meters of type 1 and type 2 sawn wood planks were confiscated and stored by the Kratie Forestry Administration in cooperation with the Royal Gendarmerie, after a raid in a rubber plantation at Phnom Khiev, Sambor district, Kratie province.

According to the source, the sawn timber was transported by traders on a truck from Stung Treng province at night, crossing National Road No. 9 to National Road No. 7 via O'Pong Moan junction. The illegal cargo was then dropped off at the rubber plantation located at Phnom Khiev, Sambor district, Kratie province, where a Samsung car was waiting to transport it to the depot for distribution.
After the crackdown by the authorities, the confiscated timber was taken away by the police and stored at the O'Kreang Forestry Administration as state property in accordance with the Forestry Administration Law.


As for the owner of these magnificent planks of timber, we do not know his identity yet, because the traders secretly hid their cargo in the rubber plantation, and no one has come forward to claim it (yet).

Kratie Cops Crack Down on Contraband Car

Cambodia News, (Kratie Province): At 20:24pm, on May 18, 2023, in O'Kreang Sen Chey district, Kratie province, the 710 Security squad led by Lt. Srey Sina, stopped and searched a vehicle loaded with illegal timber. A Highlander car, with license plate Phnom Penh 2AP.2163, escaped from a police roadblock, but was later trapped by the 710 Security unit.
After the armed forces had stopped the Highlander car and were preparing to search it, the driver jumped out of the car and ran away. A search of the vehicle revealed that it was carrying planks of rosewood, a protected species of native timber.


Currently, the O'Kreang Forestry Administration police have recently confiscated a total of 7 vehicles containing rosewood (Ta Trav), equal to 1,150 square meters, which have been recorded for the national statistics on illegal wood trafficking.

Another Crackdown by O'Kreang Forestry Administration (see above)

Cambodia News, (Kratie Province): The O'Kreang Forestry Administration Sangkat Force cooperated with environmental officials at the Sambor Wildlife Sanctuary, after receiving information that a truck was transporting planks of illegal wood.

O'Kreang Forestry Administration Sangkat Chief Mr. Keo Chamnan announced on the morning of June 2, 2023, that on the evening of May 31, his forces seized a white DEAWOO truck, ( license plate number 3A.0936), carrying about about 5 cubic meters or 150 pieces of new wood type 1 and 2, which did not have a permit, and was hidden amongst planks of legal wood.
However, he said that the identification of the legal and illegal wood has been difficult because the wood has already been cut into planks which were stacked and mixed together.


Currently, the truck and the confiscated wood are being temporarily stored in the O'Kreang Forestry Administration Sangkat to be processed in accordance with the procedures of the Forestry Law.

High level meeting held to curb forest crimes during election period
Sok Raksa | Publication date 10 June 2023 | 15:18 ICT
With some corrupt individuals continuing to occupy state land in the capital and provinces prior to the general election, an inter-ministerial meeting was held to discuss ways to prevent natural resource crimes and state land grabs.

The meeting was held on June 9 at the Ministry of Environment.

The meeting was attended by Minister of Environment Say Samal, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Dith Tina, Minister of Justice Koeut Rith, Minister of Mines and Energy Suy Sem and Minister of Water Resources and Meteorology Lim Kean Hor, along with Sao Sokha, deputy commander of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces and commander of the National Military Police, who also serves as chairman of the National Committee for Prevention and Crackdown on Natural Resource Crimes.

The meeting also brought together representatives from the Council of Ministers, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction, the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Ministry of National Assembly-Senate Relations and Inspections, along with governors and deputy governors from the capital and provinces, and numerous other officials.
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/ ... ion-period

Great. Pause high level crime just before elections, once CPP cements it’s power more, hit resume.

June 19, 2023
Ministry refutes report on two million ha forest loss
Son Minea / Khmer Times
The Ministry of Environment yesterday rejected the Global Forest Watch report that said the country has lost two million hectares of forest cover between 2001 and 2021 due to economic land concession, illegal logging, forest burning and other forestry crimes.

The Global Forest Watch (GFW) is a US-based online platform that provides nations data and tools for monitoring forests.

Neth Pheaktra, spokesman of Ministry of Environment, said yesterday, “I want the NGO to examine deforestation in their own country rather than observing another country.”

Pheaktra added that the Cambodian government has been doing a tremendous work for biodiversity conservation and has taken several measures for environment protection across the country.

“The government and the Ministry of Environment are working hard to crack down on forest crime throughout the country, especially against illegal logging in the protected areas,” said Pheaktra.

He said that the Ministry has adopted two key approaches to prevent the loss of national resources in the country. Firstly, it recognises a law-based approach by taking into consideration the existing constitutional and legislative responsibilities for biodiversity in the country.

Secondly, the economic measure approach under which the citizens around the protected areas will have a livelihood which reduces their reliance on the national resources.

“Cambodia has even gone one step further in environment protection. We can now sell carbon credits to the international market,” said Pheaktra, adding that “this shows Cambodia does not have an environmental tragedy.”
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501310038/ ... rest-loss/

Authorities Turn Blind Eye to Kratie Outfit

Cambodia News, (Kratie Province): According to a report, many tractors have been transporting illegal timber from Village 105 in Thmey commune, Chit Borey district, Kratie province, to the rest of Cambodia, without any obstruction from the authorities. Local people have taken photos and video film in the above area to show officials, but as of July 16, 2023, this activity has been running smoothly for more than 10 days.

According to sources, the operator is named Ream, who used to be just a sawmill operator, but he has now become a boss who is paid by timber depot owners in other provinces to take logs out of Phnom Prich Wildlife Sanctuary, and send on the illegal wood through Kratie.


Sources from the team monitoring the above activities added that after taking pictures on the activities of transporting timber. they immediately reported to the authorities to intervene, but the authorities replied briefly that they were too busy.
Local reporters say that there is collaboration between the timber merchants and the officials who are paid to turn a blind eye when they are supposed to be protecting the sanctuary from loggers. Even when the authorities have the name, address, and eye-witness photos of illegal actions, they will not act on this information.

Small Kratie Bust

Cambodia News, (Kratie Province: A Lexus LX470 transporting illegal timber to Vietnam through the corridor in Snuol district, Kratie province was seized by the police in cooperation with environmental officials of Sambor Wildlife Sanctuary at 1:30am, on July 22, 2023, in O'Kreang Commune, O'Kreang Sen Chey District, Kratie Province.

Mr. Keo Chamnan, Sangkat Chief of O'Kreang Forestry Administration, said on the morning of July 22, that the vehicle was a black LEXUS LX 470 with license plate Phnom Penh 2Q-0708, carrying 13 pieces of sawn wood, type 1, 250 cubic meters, without a permit from the Forestry Administration.

After the vehicle was seized, the specialized forces brought the timber to be temporarily stored at the Forestry Administration in Sangkat O'Kreang to be produced as evidence.