Widespread DSI roundup of exotic woods
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The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has seized processed Siamese rosewood worth Bt20 million in raids at five locations in Nakhon Phanom, DSI chief Tharit Pengdit said yesterday.
After the smuggling of Siamese rosewood in the Northeast was taken up as special issue for DSI investigation, Tharit said he had instructed DSI officials to join with officials to simultaneously raid and search five locations.
They seized 89 logs of Siamese rosewood, 26 logs of Burmese sal and two pickup trucks at a house in Tha Uthen district. At another house in Ban Phaeng district, two men were arrested along with a pickup truck and 43 logs of Siamese rosewood, while the raid in Muang district saw one suspect arrested along with 473 logs of processed rubberwood smuggled from Laos, four logs of macea wood and 93 logs of Mersawa wood.
One suspect was arrested in a raid on a slaughterhouse which revealed 31 logs of Siamese rosewood, four logs of processed Burmese ebony, 22 logs of processed Burmese sal, and 18 logs of processed macea wood. A raid on an orchard in Ban Phaeng district saw officials seize 30 logs of Siamese rosewood.
