Kratie provincial court granted Military Police permission to bring two suspects involved with operating an illegal charcoal kiln back to a provincial military police base on Sunday for further questioning.

The court spokesman Chea Sopheak said the suspects – 32-year-old Kam Soben, and 32-year-old Vietnamese national Hou Soeung Toueng – were arrested on Saturday by Snuol district military police forces.

The two men were found to have built an illegal charcoal kiln in the district’s Ksem commune – an area located within Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary.

Kratie provincial environment department director Duong Chhay Savuth said after the suspects were arrested, they were charged with building an illegal charcoal kiln in violation of Article 60 of the Law on Natural Protected Areas.