Scene of illegal exploitation of 68 ancient pine trees in Lâm Đồng Province. VNA/VNS Photo

LÂM ĐỒNG – Four people have been arrested accused of illegally cutting down ancient pine trees in a forest in Phú Sơn Lâm Hà Commune, Lâm Đồng Province.

The suspects detained under the 2017 Penal Code on the crime of violating regulations on forest exploitation and protection and forest products are Đinh Duy Đạo, 44, from Lâm Viên Ward, Đà Lạt City; Trần Văn Vân, 45, and Trần Văn Bắc, 54, both living in Phú Sơn Lâm Hà Commune; and Lê Văn Tâm, 50, a resident of Xuân Hương Ward of Đà Lạt city.

From July 18, the Lâm Đồng Police coordinated with the provincial forest ranger units and other agencies to investigate after receiving information about illegal tree cutting in the pine forest in Phú Sơn Lâm Hà Commune.

At the scene, the authorities discovered 68 three-needle pine trees with dimetres of 1-1.2m had been cut down by loggers

The total volume is more than 150cu.m.

The pine forest is under management of the Lâm Hà Forest Management Board.

On July 26, Đà Lạt Forest Protection Department, in coordination with relevant forces, searched several locations used to conceal evidence by a group of suspects in the former Đà Lạt city, seizing a large quantity of timber and illegal forest products.

At a drying workshop in Lâm Viên Ward, authorities discovered four bags of firewood, 15 firewood logs and 79 pieces of pine wood.

At a warehouse in LangBiang Ward, investigators seized 95 bags of pine firewood weighing 2,299kg, along with 107 pine logs, totalling 5.861cu.m.

The Lâm Đồng Provincial Police determined that between May and early July, Vân, Tâm and Bắc felled 68 pine trees, cutting them into 25–30cm segments and using axes and knives to extract resin.

Each extraction session yielded 200–600kg of pine resin, which they sold to Đạo, who was responsible for purchasing and distributing the goods.

The suspects have all confessed to their violations. VNS