The forest, situated in Binh Dinh province, had been severely devastated, an official of Binh Dinh’s Bureau of Forest Management said.

Initial investigations showed that the forest management had cooperated with private businesses to log without permission from relevant authorities.

Managers will stand trial for their wrongdoings instead of being fined solely for the amount of trees they cut – which exceeded 44cu.m – allowing police to turn the case into a criminal investigation.

Investigations into the case are continuing, police said.

Reported by Dinh Phu-Cao Nguyen – Translated by An Dien