Taking advantage of the holiday, illegal loggers "cut up" dozens of huge blocks of wood

Although there are local forest rangers stationed to protect the forest, nearby loggers are still cutting wood. Upon receiving the information, the reporter tried to approach Chu Ju hill - where nearly a dozen modified vehicles are "plowing" day and night to illegally transport wood.

Dozens of wooden boxes lie scattered in the middle of the forest.

Following the dangerous road from Ayun Pa town to reach Chu Ju hill, in the guise of orchid pickers, we approached the hill. Right from the foot of the hill, we heard the sound of machines “roaring” on the hill. As we approached the top of the hill, the sound of chainsaws and modified vehicles echoed louder and louder.

Large diameter wooden blocks lie scattered.

After many hours of walking, through the deep forest to avoid detection, we finally arrived at the gathering place with many large logs that had been cut into boxes. Next to them were modified vehicles with new tires, along with hundreds of meters of cable to pull the modified vehicles out of the forest.

According to the reporter's observation, the road up the mountain has been widened by about 5m and along this road we discovered 4 timber yards. Of these, 2 yards have nearly 30 square logs of sawn timber, the remaining yards have been sawn and transported without the local authorities and forest rangers knowing. Further into the deep forest, newly felled trees with a diameter of 50-60cm lie scattered waiting to be taken to the gathering place for sawing.

Dozens of huge blocks of wood have yet to be transported.

Mr. Tong Hoai Long - Head of the Ayun Pa Town Forest Protection Department said that regarding the rampant loggers in the Chu Ju area, in sub-area 1297 in Ia Sao commune, the Forest Protection Department has reported to the leaders of the Town People's Committee and the Forest Protection Department for handling. "To prevent illegal logging and transportation of forest products, on April 23, the Forest Protection Department coordinated with the La Sao Commune People's Committee to establish a team to conduct a raid in sub-area 1297 in Chu Ju. Currently, our team is still on duty there," Mr. Long affirmed.

Many tree stumps still have fresh marks, likely having just been cut down.

However, when reporters brought the authorities to the wood storage area near the residents' houses, the authorities appeared bewildered and claimed that they did not know about these storage areas, the trucks carrying illegal wood, and modified vehicles were still lying around in the middle of the forest. Mr. Nguyen Van Loc - Chairman of the People's Committee of Ayun Pa Town said: "After receiving the information, we directed the forces to go directly to the scene to collect information and tow the illegal wood back to handle it according to the provisions of the law."

The blocks of wood were cut right in the forest.