June Reports from the South West Elephant Corridor Ranger Stations. Reports are provided weekly by station managers to the head office in Phnom Penh and Washington, D.C.
Koh Pao Station:
June 22: Conducted a night patrol and investigated one clearing measuring 133m.
June 23: Team A prepared for 3-day long patrol.
June 24: Day patrol. Confiscated 2 chainsaws, which are stored at KP station.
June 25: Conducted night patrol and released on site 1 baby crocodile.
June 26: Conducted day patrol. Dismantled 1 charcoal kiln.
Sre Ambel Station:
June 10: Dismantled 10 chamkas and fences.
June 13: Seized four boats transporting meleuca poles. Conducted two raids on two different saw mills. Sent two land encroachment cases to KK prosecutor.
Stung Proat Station:
June 10: Found 4 trees west of Chi Phat. Team conducted an ambush in the area to find further activities and offenders.
June 11: Confiscated one chainsaw, 42 wood planks, and 22 pieces of timber were found and destroyed.
June 13: Released 2 lorises in the protected area near Stung Proat station. The lorises were given to the station FA by a tourist. Burned 5 oxcarts with 5.5m3 of timber. Confiscated 4 axes and 5 machetes.
June 16: Conducted two-day patrol along Road 48. Confiscated 53 snares and burned 257 bamboo 'claws' (parts of snares). Found footprints of deer and wild pig. Dismantled 1 charcoal kiln.
June 22: Checked UTM list from helicopter flyover from June 16. Found 2ha clearing and 1 charcoal kiln. Took new advisor, Alex, on patrol. Major Seng Oum, the head of all Military Police in SWEC, patrolled with the team.
June 24: Collaborated with TT and TPR stations to confiscate 2m3 of mreah prouv luxury timber and 2m3 of sawn timber. Also confiscated one AK-47 gun and gave it to the authorities to hold.
June 28: Set up a checkpoint. Found 1 python, 2 monitors, and 5kg of dead deer meat hidden under large amounts of fruit in a minibus. Confiscated the wildlife and minivan. Case will be taken to FA Cantonment in Koh Kong.
Tatai Station:
June 10: Conducted patrol and night ambush to Veal Pi, Thmar Bang, TPR, and Toul Koki areas. Arrested 4 offenders and confiscated 37 pieces (0.999m3) of Kra Nhung wood, 6 pieces (1000kg) of Mreah Proav, 3 drills, 3 handsaws, and 2 engines.
June 12: Patrolled to Dong Tung area. Brought 4 offenders to Koh Kong FA Cantonment for transactional fine of 6,174,000 Riel ($1,543.50).
June 13: Conducted night ambush and patrolled to Veal Pi and Thmar Bang areas and confiscated and released 1 monkey.
June 16: Patrolled to Veal Pi and on the way to Thmar Bang area. Arrested 1 offender and confiscated 1 truck with 30 pieces (1.256m3) of Kra Nhung wood. Cooperated with TPR and CI teams to confiscate materials from a sawmill processing facility.
June 18: Patrolled and conducted night ambush to Toul koki, Uri Sakor, and on the way to Thmar Bang area. Dismantled and confiscated 95 rope snares and untied 1 mouse deer tied to a rope snare but it died. The team buried it in the forest.
June 19: Found elephant dung.
June 24: Conducted long patrolled and also night ambush for 2 nights and 3 days from Tatai to Koh Pao, O'Som, Veal Pi, and Thmar Bang area. We cooperated with KP teams and FAs to check the building of Hydro-power area. We found a sawn timber pile around 1 m3 belonging to the Hydro-power Company. We found 2 chainsaws and confiscated them. We checked GSM 097 Metfone antenna new construction of Viettel Cambodia Pte, LTD. We stopped temporarily 097 Metfone Company because the company did not posses sufficient permits. We found sites where Kra Nhung wood was being cut and dismantled 2 cable snares. No offender found. Evidence suggested wood and sawn timber cutting had been occurring for 1 month. We confiscated 16 pieces (1.257 m3) of sawn timbers and destroyed it down because of we could not transport it. We confiscated 14 pieces (1.008 m3) of Mreah Prouv hidden in Cham kar Chek. No offender found. We cooperated with Conservation International to confiscate 14 pieces (1.008 m3) of Mreah Prouv. We confiscated 1 AK-47 rifle with 4 bullets.
June 25: Patrolled along road 48 from TT to Veal Pi, Sok San, Uri Sakor and we continued long patrol and also night ambush for 2 nights and 3 days in O, Som areas. We confiscated 1 crocodile from 1 Chinese and released it into the river. We followed up and checked GSM 097 Metfone antenna new construction of Viettel Cambodia Pte, LTD. No activities. We found 1 charcoal kiln and 8 bags of charcoal that an offender dismantled 3 days before our team went there. No offender found. We confiscated 8 bags of charcoal.
Trapeang Rung Station:
June 10: Cracked down on illegal wood workshop, arrested 4 offenders in Thmar Bang area. Confiscated 6 pieces (1m3) of mreah preouv luxury timber, 2 generators, 0.309m3 normal timber. Case sent to KK.
June 11: Continued case in KK. If the offenders pay around $2000 they can have timber released. If not case will go to court and they face jail time.
June 16: Raided a large-scale luxury sawmill owned by the Commune Chief in collaboration with Conservation International. Confiscated 0.896m3 of Kra Nhung wood, 0.697m3 of Mreah prouv wood, 1.758m3 of sawn timber, 2 generators, 2 sanders, 1 stick of dynamite, 6 saw sharpeners, 1 large saw, sharpening stones, 1 hand saw, 1 pulley, 2 cans of varnish, and 17 carving knives. The wood is being held at the CI station and all other items are being held at the TPR station. The saw mill cost $20,000 to set up and the Commune Chief is a known luxury timber businessmen, trading in Vietnam and Phnom Penh. He was arrested and taken to court. He will likely receive a transactional fine.
June 19-20: Cracked down on luxury timber stock in Thmar Bang area, confiscating 0.84m3 Mreah Prouv wood, 0.803m3 Kra Nhung wood, and 0.760m3 Tnong wood. This luxury wood was seized from a known businessman in Thmar Bang area. |
