BUENG KARN, 17 November 2013 The Bueng Karn police has seized Siamese Rosewood, which were expected to be exported abroad.
From the operation, the police and local scouts seized nine Siamese Rosewood logs, worth around 200,000 baht. The wood was hidden in a forest near a temple in Bueng Khong Long District. Five loggers were preparing to transport the wood outside of the country.
The Bueng Karn officers worked with national park scouts and water police in this raid. Around five suspects were found transporting the Siamese Rosewood on boat in the Khong River. When the raid began, the loggers escaped onto the boat to the Laos side, leaving behind nine logs. Police assumed that they could not transport the nine logs in time.
According to the Environmental Investigation Agency’s recent report, escalating demand for rosewood has resulted in an illegal international trade dubbed ‘the rosewood wars’ which is characterised by corruption, high financial stakes, violence and killings. The over logging of the trees is an extreme threat to the existence of the species.
