Soldiers back log smuggling<\/p>\n
SURABAYA: East Java's forestry office has asked journalists to
\nidentify the Armed Forces individuals behind the notorious
\nsmuggling of timber out of Kalimantan and Sulawesi.<\/p>\n
Office chief Amir Hamzah said Thursday that he needs the names
\nof the soldiers who allegedly give support to the smuggling ring
\nso he can make an official report to the authorities.<\/p>\n
\"Please give us their identities. They have too often
\nthreatened our employees who want to stop smuggling,\" he was
\nquoted by Antara as saying.<\/p>\n
Amir said that the smugglers use the port of Gresik as their
\nbase. Forestry officials have been afraid to take action against
\nthe smugglers because they are routinely threatened by the
\ncorrupt soldiers, he said.<\/p>\n
According to Amir, up to 60 ships carrying smuggled timber
\nanchor at the Gresik port every month. The soldiers then prepare
\nfake documents for the logs, he said.<\/p>\n
\"The backers (soldiers) won't hesitate to try and bribe
\nforestry officials to release the logs they confiscate,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Marsanto, chief of security at forestry company Perhutani's
\nEast Java branch, said he was \"surprised\" to hear about the
\ninvolvement of the Armed Forces.<\/p>\n
\"Such instances had occurred before the Navy launched its
\nrecent anti-smuggling operation but I was not aware that it is
\nhappening now,\" he said. (pan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/soldiers-back-log-smuggling-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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