A formal complaint has been lodged with National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) by the director of the National Parks Office,accusing 29 state officials at various agencies of involvement in the trafficking of precious wood out of the country.

Chaiwat Limlikhitaksornt old a news conference on Wednesday that they include 17 forest and national park officials, 8 police officers, 2 local administrative officials, a public prosecutor and an army officer attached to the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC).

He claims that his officials have checked the money trail and found unusual transactions in seven suspected “mule” bank accounts, involving about 40 million baht.

He also claims that the traffickers have an extensive network and are connected with the “Mu Lan” transnational Chinese gang.

The precious wood includes Payung (Siamese rosewood), Makha (Afzelia xylocarpa) and Ta-khian (Hopea odorata). The wood was cut from conserved forests and public parks and was later declared as legal lumber, with the help of the officials concerned, said Chaiwat.