Battambang’s Ratanak Mondol District Military Police on Tuesday arrested two men after confiscating 2 tonnes of rosewood hidden in a tanker truck, Military Police said yesterday.

Norng Vanny, director of the Justice Department at the Pailin Provincial Military Police, identified the suspects as Yem Pheap, 40, a driver living in Kampong Speu province, and Hok Bun, 17, a driver living in Kampot province.

“After the interrogation, the suspects and the evidence were sent to the Pailin Provincial Forestry Administration for further interrogation,” Vanny said.

Kem Pov, Ratanak Mondol District Military Police commander, said the crackdown came after receiving reports of illegal timber being transferred from a motorbike towing a cart into a gasoline truck’s tank in Pailin’s Sala Krao district. The truck then headed towards Ratanak Mondol.

Pov said he was alerted by Pailin Military Police to intercept the suspects.

“After the inspection, authorities found 92 logs of rosewood hidden in the gasoline container, and the two drivers were arrested and handed to Pailin Provincial Military Police for further action,” he said.