PHNOM PENH, (Reuters) – Cambodia’s prime minister yesterday called for a bigger effort to curb illicit timber trade, saying he had ordered military police to fire rockets from helicopters if they saw illegal loggers at work.
Hun Sen created a task force in January led by National Military Police Commander Sao Sokha to raid timber warehouses and tackle the deforestation that is fuelling a multi-million dollar illegal trade.
“I already gave two helicopters for raids and Sao Sokha has not fired a single rocket yet,” the prime minister said in a televised speech. “I order that rockets be fired from above.”
An investigation last year by environment group Global Witness said Chinese demand for luxury rosewood furniture was fuelling a black-market trade in illegal logs across Cambodia.