Dili – UN Police officials today announced they have seized two trucks loaded with sandalwood apparently destined for sale outside East Timor.

Officials would not disclose where the sandalwood originated but said there has been a recent upsurge in cases of this type. A number of people are being questioned in relation to the incident.

UN Police Commissioner Peter Miller said today that education is a critical element in helping East Timor preserve its sandalwood resources.

"We should all be concerned about this increasing illicit trade and strive to raise national awareness about the consequences of deforestation," Miller said.

"The East Timorese people must realise that resources such as sandalwood and coral are a unique part of their heritage, and show the outside world that they are serious about preserving them," he added.

Meanwhile, the ETPS has concluded its quarterly recruitment drive with the selection of 250 men and women who will soon begin a three-month basic training course at the Police College in Dili.

The training will include instruction in democratic policing standards, investigating procedures, legal issues, patrol procedures and policing skills. Following this first phase, the recruits will undergo three more months of field training and a final six-month probationary period.

Nearly 2,000 trained ETPS officers are currently in the field with a projected target of 2,830 by the middle of next year.