Boats seized with logs<\/p>\n
Naval soldiers stand on one of the three boats towing 3,000 logs
\nof timber suspected to have been illegally felled is docked at
\nthe Tanjung Balai Karimun Naval Base, Riau.<\/p>\n
Base commander Lt. Col. Bambang Wahyudi told The Jakarta Post
\non Tuesday the boats were intercepted in waters off Riau Islands
\non Sunday at 2 a.m and the boats' crews and captains had been
\narested -- 23 people in total.<\/p>\n
"When we checked, the boats' captains could not show documents
\nclarifying that the logs were legal. They also could not show any
\nsailing permits," Bambang said.<\/p>\n
The case would be handed over to the forestry and plantation
\noffice to be processed, he said.<\/p>\n
"We hope that this case will reach court. We don't want bail
\nto be granted so that the legal process can go ahead," Bambang
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The three boats -- TB Sabang III, KM Mutiara IV and KM Aiwan
\nJaya -- carried 3,000 logs consisting of meranti, merbau and
\nseveral other timber species. The boats had loaded the logs at
\nPenyalai, Riau Islands and were heading to the port of Kuala
\nTungkal in Jambi.<\/p>\n
Bambang said 24 vessels had been captured carrying illegal
\nlogs this year.<\/p>\n
"But it is sad knowing that the legal process is not clear. It
\nis difficult to arrest these vessels in open seas and it's sad
\nknowing these cases will not be processed according to the law,"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Mutiara IV captain Bustami said he had only been assigned to
\ndeliver the logs to Kuala Tungkal in Jambi. The logs' owner,
\nFajar Marindo Raya, a company based in Jambi, did not yet know
\nits logs had been seized, he said.<\/p>\n
"I don't know if the logs are illegal. Our job is just to
\ndeliver them to Jambi. The rest, we don't know. We've only been
\nequipped with a document from the company," Bustami said.--JP\/Fadli<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/boats-seized-with-logs-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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