On Thursday, the Da Nang Department of Investigation Police asked the local People's Procuracy to prosecute 19 offenders for their involvement in a serious deforestation case in the city’s Ba Na-Nui Chua Special Use Forest which was uncovered in early October 2014.

The offenders’ leader is Vu Van Tam from Quang Nam Province’s Dong Giang District.  He has been charged with bribing forest rangers and violating regulations on forest exploitation and protection.  Five forest officials and 2 rangers have been accused of taking bribes.  The other offenders have been indicted for violating regulations on forest exploitation and protection.

The seized timber (Source: Sai Gon Giai Phong)

According to the police investigation, since 2012 Mr Tam has been hiring people to carry out illegal logging in the city’s Ca Nhong forest.  He had bribed Pham Phu Cuong, Head of the Ca Nhong Forest Protection Station of the Management Board of the special use forest, to allow him to better implement his illegal logging activities.  A total of over 30 million VND in bribes was given to the station’s 5 staff members and 2 forest rangers.

In addition, the Department of Investigation Police are suggesting that fines should be imposed on Mr Nguyen Quang Loc, former Head of the Ca Nhong Station, for his lack of a sense of responsibility for forest protection and management, along with Mr Le Hoang Son, former Head of the Dong Giang Forest Protection Unit, for his irresponsibility in seizing the illegally-logged timbers on 8 February 2013.

The Management Board of the Ba Na-Nui Chua Special Use Forest and the Da Nang Forest Protection Department have been required to send self-criticisms to the local authorities.