CAMBODIA: Raiding Illegal Jungle Distilleries

The Cardamom Mountains and surrounding forests is the largest and most pristine area of intact forest in SE Asia. Covering an area of 2.5 million acres it became one of the last strong holds of a retreating Khmer Rouge. Their presence helped preserve the forest

as no-one dared to venture inside. But with the Khmer Rouge gone, it faces new dangers from poachers, loggers and illegal drug factories.

The production of sassafras oil, a major constituent in the production of the drug ecstacy, is a big issue as illegal gangs have moved in to the reserve to cut down and distil huge trees to produce this expensive oil.

Having found the location of four illegal factories the park rangers joined the Cambodian military on a raid to destroy the factories and arrest those involved.

Published in The Sunday Times Magazine.

These images were awarded an official Honourable Mention in the 2009 International Photo Awards (www.photoawards.com)