Mondulkiri provincial Forestry Administration sent four men to court for their involvement in a forest crime in Keo Seima district.

Mondulkiri provincial Military Police arrested the four men and confiscated a van, two chainsaws and another equipment used to commit the forest crime in Sre Khtum commune on Monday.

Mondulkiri provincial Military Police commander Hem Bonarel said on Wednesday that 10 Keo Seima district and provincial Military Police officials cracked down on the crime and apprehended the four red-handed.

“After confiscating the evidence, we questioned the four before handing them over to the provincial forestry administration,” he said.

Provincial Forestry Administration director Um Van Sopheak said that his expert officials had questioned the four and sent them to the court on Wednesday, while the evidence was impounded at his office.

“We are taking legal action against them and we sent them to court. The court will make a decision on the case,” he said.

Provincial agriculture department director Song Kheang noticed that the crackdowns on forest crimes last year were better than than in 2018 when the National Committee for Prevention and Crackdown on Natural Resource Crimes had taken legal measures against some officials from Military Police, Forestry Administration, environment units as well as okhna and their accomplices.

“The National Committee for Prevention and Crackdown on Natural Resource Crimes tries to stamp out the forest crimes effectively every day,” he said.

On July 9, last year, the National Committee for Forest Crime Prevention arrested tycoon Soeng Sam Ol, who is an owner of the Master K Sun company; two supervisors and a driver for illegal logging. Meanwhile, over 40 vehicles used in forest crimes were seized and set on fire.

On July 27, last year, they additionally apprehended environment official Han Sokhorn, Forestry Administration officers Saro Ratana and Hong Vanne, and Keo Seima district Military Police commander Sak Sarun.