Three Chinese Workers Charged in Forestry Crackdown

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Three Chinese Workers charged in forestry crackdown in Mondulkiri. Image: Facebook GRK News
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The Mondulkiri Provincial Court placed three Chinese workers in provisional detention over charges of extortion, and arrested three forestry and environmental officials over related forestry crimes.

Met Pros, the court’s administrative chief, told VOD on Monday that the National Anti-Deforestation Committee (NADC) had brought the cases as part of its latest crackdown.

“We’ve arrested many in these cases already,” Pros said. “These are the latest six.”

He named the officials arrested and questioned as Phnom Prich Wildlife Sanctuary director Han Sokhorn, Mondulkiri provincial Forestry Administration deputy chief Saro Ratana and Royor Forestry Administration chief Hun Vanne.

Extortion is punishable by seven to 15 years’ imprisonment.

NADC spokesman Eng Hy said the committee would keep up its pursuit of those involved in the destruction of natural resources.

“We will take all means of action against all crimes,” Hy said.

The committee announced its latest crackdown in early July. Since then, oknha Soeng Sam Ol was arrested and 40 of his trucks were confiscated. Five companies were placed under investigation.

Ieng Mengly, Adhoc’s provincial coordinator, previously said that timber trafficking appeared to have slowed since the crackdown but that it was difficult to estimate.

(Translated and edited from the original article on VOD Khmer)

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