VietNamNet Bridge – Police of Bo Trach district in the central province of Quang Binh have seized two batches of valuable sua wood, totaling 1.4 tons.



The wood is suspected to come from the three ancient sua trees that were illegally chopped down recently in the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park.

The sua tree (Dalbergia tonkinensis Prain) has been listed as an endangered flora species in Vietnam and is on the international red list. Sua timber is rare and valuable, and as per local myth, can be used for spiritual purposes and treatment of some diseases in China. Sua trees, as a result, are the target of thieves. Sua trees are being protected by various measures.

According to investigators, at around 6pm of May 30, Bo Trach’s police forces and forest rangers seized a frozen car carrying 22 bags of sua wood, totaling 600kg, in Van Trach commune.

The car owner, Ms. Tran Thi Hoa, confessed that seven people in Bo Trach district hired her to transport the wood to Bac Trach commune.

The same day, Bo Trach police seized another car, with driver Vu Van Thieu, which was carrying 780kg of sua wood in Trung Trach commune.

The two cases are being investigated.

Bo Trach police also searched the home of a police officer of Xuan Trach commune and detected 15kg of sua wood.

The policeman, Nguyen Xuan Hieu, confessed that after three ancient sua trees in Phong Nha-Ke Bang forest were cut down by thieves, Hieu led a group of gangsters in Tho Loc commune to the forest to rob the wood. They robbed 15kg of sua wood, worth around VND200 million ($10,000) from thieves.

Relevant agencies are expanding investigation of sua wood robberies in Phong Nha-Ke Bang. The local authorities have sent representatives to the homes of ten people who are suspected of chopping down the three ancient sua trees to persuade them to give themselves up. These suspects are not at home now.

Le Nam