Man arrested over timber linked to cop

AUTHORITIES have made another arrest in an illegal timber case linked to a district military police official in Kampong Speu province. Kampong Speu Provincial Governor Vei Samnang said provincial military police officers yesterday arrested the manager of a business run by Sy Sar, the son-in-law of Oral deputy district military police chief Chheng Long, whose home was raided on Saturday after gendarmes seized a truck nearby carrying illegal timber and arrested its driver.

Yesterday’s arrest followed comments by national military police spokesman Eng Hy, reported by local media, that Sar was the owner of the wood uncovered by gendarmes during the raid.

Before the arrest, Hy told local outlet Fresh News that Long, a lieutenant general, was not involved in the timber business, a claim contested by an anti-logging advocate in the area and a local official who spoke to The Post on Sunday.

Reached yesterday, Hy declined to elaborate on the case. “We are working on it,” he said.

Kampong Speu provincial prosecutor Keo Sothea said authorities now had two people in custody.

Samnang would not give the name of the manager arrested and said authorities were still seeking Sar and Long.

“They have not been arrested yet because they have run away,” he said.

“Authorities are measuring the wood that belongs to Sy Sar. We arrested the driver and manager for Sar. The manager confessed he was involved with the wood and got $250 per month.”

Chea Hean, director of the Natural Resource and Wildlife Preservation Organisation, demanded authorities arrest both Long and his son in law and “put them behind bars”.