UDONTHANI, 19 June 2014, – Udonthani officials are ready to report to the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) on the situation on rare wood smuggling in the province, after it has recently arrested 5 people suspected of committing the crime.
According to police, they have arrested Watcharapan Borkboon and Chalermkiat Khaepimpan as well as three other suspects for illegal possession of rosewood. Wacharapan is the the Seka sub-district chief in Buengkarn province while Chalermkiat is a village chief in Nong Bua Lampoo. Police seized 23 logs of Rosewood, 3 cars and 6 mobile phones.
The arrest was made after authorities had received a tip-off on the smuggling of the rare wood. Police were then deployed at the entrance of Nongbuangen Village in Nongwuasaw District.
Later in the day, the officials pulled over a pickup truck carrying 3 suspects and the 23 rosewood logs, which were covered under sheets of sailcloth. The suspects confessed that they were being hired for 40,000 baht to transport the illegal logs.
Meanwhile, another squad of police apprehended two other suspects, Wacharapan and Chalermkiat, who were acting as lookouts. The 5 suspects are now awaiting further legal action.
