Chinese man held in B36m log seizure

Chinese man held in B36m log seizure

Forestry officials and a soldier inspect illegally cut logs and processed planks at a warehouse in Samut Prakan. Officials said the wood worth 36 million baht was bound for China, where it could have fetched up to 10 times as much. (Photo by Sutthiwit Chayutworakan)
Forestry officials and a soldier inspect illegally cut logs and processed planks at a warehouse in Samut Prakan. Officials said the wood worth 36 million baht was bound for China, where it could have fetched up to 10 times as much. (Photo by Sutthiwit Chayutworakan)

SAMUT PRAKAN: A Chinese national and three migrant workers were arrested and 400 illegally felled logs worth worth 36 million baht seized during a raid on a warehouse in Muang district on Saturday morning.

The wood was destined for China where it could have been sold at prices 10 times higher than in Thailand, officials said.

A combined team of forestry officials, soldiers and police found the three workers loading logs into a shipping container at the warehouse on Soi Rungroj in tambon Preaksa Mai in Muang district.

The three workers from Myanmar were detained, along with a Chinese man who was said to have been the buyer. Ma Chenghong, 37, was detained for questioning, said Attapon Charoenchansa, deputy chief of the Royal Forestry Department (RFD).

A large quantity of phayung (Siamese rosewood), chingchang and pratu logs and processed wood planks were found inside the warehouse. The logs, numbering over 400, were destined for China and were worth about 36 million baht in the local market.  

Cheewapap Cheewatham, head of the Phayak Prai forest suppression task force of the RFD, said officials had been keeping a close watch on movements at the warehouse and waited until the three workers arrived before staging the raid.

The owner of the warehouse would be charged, said Mr Cheewapap.

Attapon Charoenchansa (right), deputy chief of the Royal Forestry Department, and Cheewapap Cheewatham, head of the department’s Phayak Prai forest suppression task force, inspect one of the seized logs.

The price of the logs would increase by tenfold if they were shipped overseas, said Col Phongphet Ketsupa, head of the Region 4 taskforce of the Internal Security Operations Command.

An investigation found that a woman identified only as  “Jeh Mor” was involved in the illegal wood smuggling. After receiving orders from traders in China, she would ask workers to illegaly cut trees in forests and then transport them to the warehouse, said Col Phongphet.

All four suspects were handed over to the Bang Pu police station for legal action.  Authorities say they plan to extend the investigation to bring others involved to justice.

Illegally cut logs of various tree species including phayung (Siamese rosewood) were found at the warehouse in Samut Prakan. (Photo by Sutthiwit Chayutworakan)

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