The van was carrying an estimated $10,000 worth of illegal hardwood timber. Tan Kimsour
A modified van carrying about 20 cubic metres of luxury hardwood timber – with an estimated value of around $10,000 – was intercepted in Kratie province on March 3, despite being reportedly escorted by another vehicle which aimed to warn the van driver of the presence of authorities.
The shipment was alleged to have been owned by a well-known illegal timber dealer from Kratie, who had previously managed to escape arrest.
The crime was thwarted by the Youth Nature Lovers Association, led by Tan Kimsour, in Prek Prasab district’s Russei Keo village and commune.
Kimsour, president of the association, confirmed that the van carrying the illegal timber was escorted by a Toyota Tacoma truck with the Phnom Penh license plate number 2BA-2719.
The vehicle was driven by a man named Keang Thear, who was reportedly checking the road ahead.
The Youth Nature Lovers Association has asked that the public continue to monitor the case. Tan Kimsour
According to Kimsour’s estimates, the van contained about 20 cubic metres of timber. Each cubic meter would be worth approximately $500, so the total value of the shipment would be close to $10,000.
“The van carried about 20 cubic metres of timber. If you price it at the lowest estimate, each cubic metre is $500. So, this truckload was worth nearly $10,000. What’s the point of working hard? Even if they pay bribes to the authorities along the way, they still make a lot of profit,” he said.
“We’ve been tracking this timber dealer for a long time. Finally, we managed to confront him … this timber came from a dealer who has been operating for years. No one has dared to arrest him before. This is all high-quality timber,” he added.
The Youth Nature Lovers Association team is seeking further interventions from the authorities and hopes that the law will not show leniency toward those destroying natural resources.
Kimsour urged the public to continue to monitor the case and track its progress.
The head of the Kratie Provincial Forestry Administration, Nuon Pov Ratana, confirmed to The Post on March 4 that a task force is still investigating the case.
He declined to provide further comment over the phone, requesting that journalists meet him in person at his office for more information.
