Preventing Illegal Logging and Trading Rose Wood in LAO PDR., Presented by Mr. Khamphet KEOSOUVANH DEPARTMENT OF FOREST INSTECTION

1. Preventing Illegal Logging and
Trading Rose Wood in LAO PDR.
Mr. Khamphet KEOSOUVANH
DEPARTMENT OF FOREST INSPECTION
December 18-19,2014

2. I.Background.
Lao PDR shares its border with many countries
China in the north, Cambodia in the south,
Vietnam in the east, Thailand in the west and
Myanmar in the northwest.
Laos also has international border checkpoints
with these countries. Laos is still abundant with
Forest resources and this causes an extreme
challenge for Laos to protect valuable wood
species such as rose wood.

3. II. Law Enforcement
in Lao PDR.
In 2008 the Department of Forest Inspection
(DOFI) and Provincial Office for Forest
Inspection (POFI) was created by the
Government of Lao PDR to conduct
inspections and Investigations under the new
Forest Law and Wildlife-Aquatic Law.
DOFI and POFI number over 500 law
enforcement officers in 18 Provinces and 143
Districts. The focus of law enforcement is on
prevention, detection and suppression. Patrols
are strategically planned to focus on high risk
areas.

4. Two examples of a high risks are the illegal
encroachment in Salvage logging areas and the
illegal transport of raw and cut forest products.
Rose Wood is one species that is at high risk.
Provincial coordination of inspections and
investigations has resulted in the seizure of 117,088
cubic meters. Dalbergia species is also at agreat risk
of illegal harvesting.

5. Currently, the Department of Forest Inspection
is supported through the SUFORD-SU Project,
funded by the World Bank.
This project provides training and equipment to
improve law enforcement capacity building. One
example is the use of SMART Phone technology
to report and investigate forest crime in high risk
areas to Provincial (POFI) and Central (DOFI)
personnel.
All information is centrally managed in the DOFI
IMS. 5

6. Organized Crime pays grand mother and her nephew to cut valuable
Dalbergia spp
4

7. III. Law Enforcement partners.
1. International Partners.
- ASEAN – WEN Liaison
- Interpol, CITES
- Protection of Forest Department, Vietnam
and other Law Enforcement agency Liaison.
7
7

8. 2. National Partners.
- Department of Forest Inspection (DOFI).
- Department of Forest Resource Management
- Environmental Police.
- Customs
- Lao PDR Army
- Industry and Commerce
- Anti- Corruption agency
- State Inspection
8

9. 3. Public Prosecutor and Lao-WEN Partners
DOFI conducts annual bilateral cooperation meetings
with neighboring countries (especially Vietnam and
Thailand) to share best practices and lessons
learned.
The Public Prosecutor is included in all meetings.
Other law enforcement departments within the 13
Lao-WEN partners are also included as required.
Effective law enforcement requires national and
international coordination and strategic planning.
DOFI is improving its capacity to be a string leader in
Forest Law Enforcement.
9

10. Thank you very much
for attention
10