Pine trees were chopped down in Nam Hà Commune, Lâm Hà District in the central highland province of Lâm Đồng. — VNA/VNS Photo Đặng Tuấn

LÂM ĐỒNG — A joint investigation between police and officials has been carried out into the destruction of a pine forest in Lâm Hà District.
It follows reports by Vietnam News Agency revealing hundreds of pine trees had been chopped down to make way for a coffee plantation in Nam Hà Commune.
An inspection team from the police department and the People’s Procuracy of Lâm Đồng Province’ Lâm Hà District has worked with local forest protection management board to get to the bottom of the problem.
The inspection team has checked two areas that 20-years-old pine trees were chopped down on Monday.
The area was under the management of the Forest Protection Management Board.
Previously, in 2018, ancient pine trees on an area of nearly 3,000 square metres were also chopped down in the area.
On Monday morning, chairman of Nam Hà Commune’s People’s Committee Tiêu Văn Bính showed reporters the area. 
He said the Sub-area 261B had been the hot spot of deforestation and forest encroachment for years. 
The committee had mobilised rangers to patrol the forest, but the work had so far not been effective.
The committee had reported the incident to the district’s authority. — VNS