Forest rangers count the number of pine trees being cut down in Lộc Phú Commune, Bảo Lâm District. — VNA/VNS Photo Nguyễn Dũng

LÂM ĐỒNG — Police in the southern province of Lâm Đồng have caught a group of people who cut pine trees in Lâm Hà District.

This is the second case of forest destruction in just four days, police said.

During a patrol at 3pm on Thursday, the local police and rangers discovered a group of four people using chainsaws to cut pine trees at plot B in Nam Ban Township, according to senior lieutenant colonel Trần Văn Trà, deputy head of Lâm Hà District.

The subjects were identified as Nguyễn Hùng Cường, Vương Hoài Nam from Nam Hà Commune, Lâm Hà District; Đặng Văn Hưng, from Nam Định Province and Lò Văn Hai, from Thanh Hóa Province.

Cường hired the three men to destroy the forest area so the land could be used.

Police also seized three chainsaws and one can of gasoline. The suspects had chopped down 23 pine trees.

They cut the trees and burned the roots and then planted other trees next to the old ones to remove any traces.

Earlier, on Tuesday, local police and rangers also discovered 2ha of pine trees in Lộc Phú Commune, Bảo Lâm District being cut down to plant hundreds of avocado trees.

They also found nearly 400 pieces of pine trees buried nearby. — VNS