Report of looting in Cambodia, with involvement by the authorities

Khmerization translates an article in Koh Santeapheap about the looting of a 1,000-year-old man-made hill in Svay Rieng Province. The unauthorised dig was done apparently with the collusion of the local district chief and chief of police before excavations were stopped by the provincial heritage office.

A thousand year old burial site looted by powerful people
Koh Santeapheap Daily, translated by Khmerization, 20 January 2009

Toul Trapeang Ang (Royal Pond Hill) is a thousand year old ancient man-made hill located in Romeas Haek district in Svay Rieng province. Recently it has been reportedly looted by police and military police from Romeas Haek district in search of valuables buried thousand of years on that hill.

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Due to the objection from the villagers, the permission was not granted. But those officials retorted that, whether the permission is granted or not, they will still dig out the valuables from the hill because Toul Trapeang Ang is a state property, it does not belong to the villagers here. The officials said that they have the authority to dig the hill because they got the agreement of the commune chief, the local police chief and the local military police officers have also agreed. So everyone is warned not to obstruct the works.