Raid seizes plenty of illegal meat, no traders

Raid seizes plenty of illegal meat, no traders

Anti-wildlife trafficking officials from the Forestry Administration seized about 200 kilograms of meat, as well as live animals, during an inspection at Strung Treng market yesterday, though the traders escaped.

Stung Treng commune police chief Chhim Sothy said the operation, undertaken with the Wildlife Alliance, recovered meat from several protected species including wild pig, boar, red deer, porcupine and loris.

Officers also confiscated two live tortoises and 10 iguanas.

However, despite the haul, no arrests were made, Sothy said.

“Not anyone who was operating the illegal wildlife trade was arrested,” he said. “They seemed to know the authorities were coming to crack down.”

Provincial Forestry Administration head Chheang Tola said the illegal meat was buried while the living animals were given to Phnom Ta Mao zoo in Takeo province.

Tola vowed the raids would continue.

“Not only at Stung Treng market but at all the markets in this province, there will a crackdown if there is illegal wildlife trading in operation,” Tola said.