Vietnam border sealed against loggers

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Mech Dara, Igor Kossov and Phak Seangly

Cambodia's military police said yesterday that they have sealed the Vietnam border against wood transport following a major crackdown on two tycoons’ logging warehouses on Sunday. Local observers and experts, however, suggested the actions were little more than a hiccup for a long-tolerated illicit trade.

According to military police officials, forces have been deployed to known major border crossings and to checkpoints in Mondulkiri, Ratanakkiri, Kratie and Prey Veng provinces, collectively staffed by 205 personnel. Regular travel is permitted, but both legal and illegal wood is being halted.

At Prime Minister Hun Sen’s urging, government officials have created a new committee to combat illegal logging, with representatives from police, military police, the Forestry Administration and the border provinces.

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