Police arrest illegal loggers, rescue $3.7m in state assets<\/p>\n
P.C. Naommy, The Jakarta Post, Sukabumi, West Java<\/p>\n
Police have arrested a total of 38 suspected illegal loggers,
\nincluding 5 Malaysians, in West Kalimantan, and seized 20,548
\ncubic meters of processed logs during an operation conducted from
\nFeb. 19 to March 10.<\/p>\n
Chief of the Wanalaga I Operation Brig. Gen. Indarto said on
\nSaturday that police also confiscated 22,886 raw logs, several
\nboats and guns from the loggers.<\/p>\n
The operation, which is the first phase of the Wanalaga
\nOperation for this year, included raids on several locations,
\nmostly in Mount Palung National Park in West Kalimantan and on
\nthe border with Malaysia.<\/p>\n
\"There are many water catchment areas around the national park
\nand they're heavily used by local citizens. We've focused the
\noperation there to prevent floods or landslides which can happen
\ndue to the land's limited capacity in absorbing water,\" said
\nIndarto.<\/p>\n
Based on calculations by the Ministry of Forestry, he said,
\nthe seized logs were worth Rp 32 billion (US$3.76 million).<\/p>\n
The team -- comprising the National Police, the West
\nKalimantan Police and forest rangers -- was located on three main
\nareas in the 92,000-hectare national park.<\/p>\n
\"The cases would be submitted to the West Kalimantan Police,
\nbut the National Police will supervise their progress to make
\nsure they go into court,\" said Indarto.<\/p>\n
He explained that there were 10 other Malaysians who are still
\nat large, but \"the police already have their identities.\"<\/p>\n
Indarto said that the loggers were being detained in the West
\nKalimantan Police headquarters. However, the arrested Malaysians
\nare being detained for immigration violations.<\/p>\n
\"But it doesn't rule out the possibility that they're also
\ninvolved in illegal logging. We also suspect that the logs were
\nto be smuggled into Malaysia,\" he quickly added.<\/p>\n
Indonesia and Malaysia have been shifting blame for the logs
\nallegedly smuggled into Malaysia. Indonesia has been pressing
\nMalaysia to take firm action against the traders of illegal logs
\nthere.<\/p>\n
Concerning rife accusations that police officers were taking
\npart in illegal logging, Indarto said that the police had not
\nfound any evidence of such involvement.<\/p>\n
Illegal logging has been completely out of control in the
\ncountry, accounting for deforestation of 3.8 million hectares per
\nyear, roughly the size of Switzerland.<\/p>\n
Illegal logging, which has been largely blamed for natural
\ndisasters, cost the country some Rp 355.8 billion in 2002 and
\n2003. It also contributes to the rapid deforestation rate.<\/p>\n
The government is currently preparing a regulation in lieu of
\nlaw to combat the crime. The regulation is said to provide
\nharsher punishment of up to death sentence for those found guilty
\nof involvement in illegal logging and log trading.<\/p>\n
A source at the Ministry of Forestry said the regulation would
\nbe issued this week.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/police-arrest-illegal-loggers-rescue-37m-in-state-assets-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}