The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Forestry Department and the Ministry of Public Security’s Environmental Police Department agreed to co-operate on forestry protection on Dec. 11, 2008.
Ha Cong Tuan, the head of the Forestry Department, said the document to this effect signed by the two sides aimed to prevent, investigate and punish violations of laws to protect forests and preserve natural resources.
This was considered an important implementation of international commitments to protect forests and wild animals, said Tuan.
The document will take effect nation-wide. Officers of the two departments in each locality will draft out co-operative plans for each situation.