Contraband Wrongfully Taken, Says Smuggler
By Thet Sambath
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
A smuggler of protected reptiles and luxury hardwood in Ratanakkiri province said Monday that he is preparing to file a complaint with the provincial court against the officials who confiscated his contraband. Pen Sopheap admitted that Oct 7 he attempted to smuggle 700 pieces of wood and 120 kg of cobras and lizards to Vietnam, but he accused the government officials who stopped his truck of stealing from him. He claimed that Banlung district forestry chief Ros Botum and a local police officer took the wood and animals for themselves. "They did not fine me and they did not confiscate them for the state; they did this for their own benefit," Pen Sopheap claimed. He added that he would pay a fine or allow the state to take possession of his illegal booty, but he could not stand by while officials enriched themselves. Ros Botum denied the allegations. "I did not sell, nor did I keep them for myself," Ros Botum said, adding that the timber remains in his office while the wildlife has been released.
1 comment:
Both government officials and cops are known to be petty crooks. They use their positions to confiscate people's properties. The reputation of the traffic cops is also well-known. If the vehicles are confiscated for minor traffic offences and taken to the traffic police compound the owners will have to say good-bye to certain body parts, such as doors, wing mirrors, wheels, etc., when they turn up to reclaim their vehicles. If the traffic cops show some mercy they will normaly replace the new body parts with the old or damaged ones from somewhere.
It is not unusual to find many traffic cops waiting to stop motorbikes and cars (police, military and government license plates are exempt) while ignoring the traffic jam just some distance away. When useless people are in charge, Cambodia is going nowhere.
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