15kg of bush meat seized in capital bust

THE Phnom Penh Municipal Forestry Administration has taken legal action against bush meat traders after cooperating with military officers to crack down on a stall in Dangkor commune and district. More than 15kg of fresh wild meat was confiscated in the April 22 bust.

Municipal Forestry Administration director Koam Seiha said on April 23 that more than 5kg of fresh wild boar meat and 10kg of deer meat were seized.

He said the raid took place after officers had conducted a month-long investigation.

“They sold it online. Perhaps they were unaware it was illegal. I do not know if they have been selling bush meat for a long time, or if this was a one-off. We have an IT team, who monitor and investigate online sellers. They spent about a moth ascertaining the physical location of the shop, but the identity of the seller was never disclosed,” he said.

Seiha noted that the sale of bush meat is decreasing from year to year – due to strict law enforcement and more people becoming aware of the issue – but there are still a small number of people who do not understand know why it is prohibited.

He called on the public to stop selling bush meat as it is illegal and harms the Kingdom’s valuable natural resources.

Wildlife Conservation Society country director Ken Serey Rotha said on April 24 that perpetrators in the bush meat and wildlife trade often change their methods, which was a concern. Whether it was being sold in physical stores or online, authorities should spend more time investigating these crimes, he said.

“It’s a matter of how determined the enforcement is. Law enforcement agencies need to invest in the tools and human resources they need to end this trade,” he said.

He added that since the Ministry of Environment began to educate the public about the issue, the wildlife trade has decreased significantly.

He noted however that there were still some people who continue to eat wild meat, and it seems to be some kind of trophy for the wealthy, because nowadays it is expensive and only well-off peope can afford it.

The ministry and partner organisations have been campaigning for zero snaring in Cambodia’s protected areas since March to eliminate the use of wildlife snares.