Four large trucks thought to be carrying illegal timber were stopped and impounded in Kampong Speu province by local authorities on Friday morning.

According to Cheng Ratha, deputy chief of the local provincial Forestry Administration Office, the vehicles were stopped with the help of military police in Chbar Mon town en route to a supply depot in the city.

“The trucks containing timber for building homes were from Mondulkiri province and crossed through other provinces,” he said.

However, Ratha declined to name which company owned the convoy.

The cargo, currently impounded at the Forestry Administration’s office, will be measured this week, Ratha continued.

A Forestry Administration officer, who asked to be identified only as Sarorn, and whose subordinates were present at the scene, said that one of his men told him the convoy belonged to logging tycoon Try Pheap.

Representatives of Try Pheap’s company declined to comment yesterday.