Pine trees are poisoned by pesticide in Đắk Nông Province. — VNA/VNS Photo

ĐẮK NÔNG — The Investigation Police Agency of Đắk Song District in Central Highlands Đắk Nông Province have detained five people for alleged deforestation.

Those arrested include Huỳnh Bình, 39, Nguyễn Đình Thân, 31, Phan Công Dụng, 27, Lê Mạnh Hùng, 35, and Phan Văn Đồng, 27. All reside in Đắk Song District’s Nâm N’jang Commune.

The five suspects, together with a man known as Tiến, allegedly poisoned pine trees along National Highway No14 passing through the district to encroach on forestry land. 

Tiến paid for pesticides and two drills to destroy the pine trees. 

The others were in charge of drilling holes in the tree trunks and pouring pesticide into the trees.

Nearly 1,160 pines trees along the National Highway No14 have been poisoned. Some of the trees were more than 30 years old.

The poisoning of pine forest along National Highway No14 and No28 in Đắk Nông Province is a continuing problem. Tens of hectares of pine trees on lucrative land plots were drilled and poisoned. Poisoned nails were also found inside the trees.

The trees would wither and die slowly.

Last October, Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc asked the provincial People’s Committee to report on the forest destruction. 

The provincial People's Committee asked Đắk Song District to investigate the case and find the culprits. — VNS