Police seize shipload of illegal logs<\/p>\n
Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Police confiscated a shipload of undocumented logs
\nthat arrived here from Central Kalimantan, an officer revealed on
\nFriday.<\/p>\n
Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Tjiptono said the force had long
\nsuspected illegal logs were being smuggled through Sunda Kelapa
\nPort in North Jakarta.<\/p>\n
\"The 1,070.63 cubic meters of logs were aboard the Juika Jaya
\ntraveling from Central Kalimantan. The ship berthed at Sunda
\nKelapa Port,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Sunda Kelapa, the oldest port in the country, is smaller than
\nTanjung Priok Port. However, it still serves medium-sized ships
\ncarrying fish, logs and other goods.<\/p>\n
On Nov. 1, a team from the Jakarta Police's environmental
\ncrimes division began investigating the ship after a tip from the
\nCity Forestry and Agriculture Agency.<\/p>\n
\"The volume of the logs was quite large. I estimate the value
\nof the logs is at least Rp 1 billion,\" the head of the
\nenvironmental crimes division, Adj. Sr. Comr. Ahmad Haydar, said
\non Friday.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Police detained the ship, confiscated the logs and
\nquestioned several witnesses including the manager of the ship,
\nJack Annil, who has been named a suspect in the case.<\/p>\n
The forestry agency became suspicious of the ship because
\nAnnil only had valid documents for 500.54 cubic meters of logs.<\/p>\n
Some 874 cubic meters of the confiscated logs were meranti, a
\nmahogany-like wood usually used for plywood and veneer. The
\nremaining 196 cubic meters were from various types of wood.<\/p>\n
Police confiscated all of the logs and transported them to the
\nforestry agency's wood storage yard in Pondok Pinang, South
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
The agency, along with the Jakarta Trade Agency and the
\nJakarta Prosecutor's Office, will eventually auction off the
\nlogs.<\/p>\n
If prosecutors pursue a case against Annil, he could be
\ncharged under Article 50 of Law No. 41\/1999 on forestry.<\/p>\n
The article states that anyone who transports, possesses or
\nreceives forestry products without valid documents faces a
\nmaximum of five years in prison and a maximum fine of Rp 10
\nbillion.<\/p>\n
Illegal logging is a major problem in Indonesia and one that
\nPresident Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has promised to address during
\nhis first 100 days in office.<\/p>\n
Critics blame weak law enforcement for the problems. They say
\nnumerous ships arrive at Sunda Kelapa Port carrying undocumented
\nlogs but police and civilian investigators rarely launch serious
\ninvestigations.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/police-seize-shipload-of-illegal-logs-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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