NAGA CITY -- Authorities on Monday seized 9,000 board feet of Narra lumber discreetly hidden inside a 10-wheeler van at a PNP-DENR checkpoint at a national road in Pili, Camarines Sur, an official of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) here said the other day.

        Joint operatives of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Traffic Management Group (TMG) and DENR at about 8:00AM Monday while conducting a checkpoint at barangay San Jose , Pili, Camarines Sur flagged down a 10-wheeler van for a routine inspection and documentation.

        The operatives while conducting the check uncovered the thousands of board feet of Narra lumber hidden inconspicuously with other scrap metals inside the van. The unidentified driver and his aide abandoned the van and fled immediately while the inspection was in progress.

        The operatives during the search have not found any legal papers to back-up the existence of the thousands of board feet of Narra lumbers being transported.

        Rodolfo Matusalem, DENR Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer (PENRO) said a DENR informer based in Legazpi City had tipped off DENR operatives in Camarines Sur about the hot cargo of Narra lumber worth P810,000 at the prevailing market prices.

        He said the 10-wheeler van carrying the hot lumber was on its way to Metro Manila from Tabaco City ..

        Matusalem said, that according to the informant the hot lumbers reportedly came from the island province of Catanduanes then transported by sea vessels to the shorelines of Tabaco City and subsequently the merchandize were loaded at the van for delivery to an unidentified person in Manila .

        Matusalem said the 9,000 board feet of Narra lumber including the 10-wheeler van is presently impounded at the PNP station in Pili, Camarines Sur awaiting proper disposition.