Dozens of illegal loggers nabbed

Dozens of illegal loggers nabbed

CIAMIS, West Java: Ciamis police, in cooperation with the local Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) have arrested at least 32 illegal loggers operating in protected forests of Sancang and Cileuncang in Ciamis and Garut regencies, West Java.

BKSDA staff officer in Ciamis, Halasan T Hutauruk, said that the arrested loggers had caused huge financial losses, and extensive damage to the ecological system.

The local authorities had also seized tens of cubic meters of wood from them, he added.

"Illegal logging will cause serious flooding, landslides or even claim human lives, therefore we are trying to find the masterminds as well as to put an end to such a practice," Halasan said.

He did not rule out the possibility that local officials were involved in the looting, and vowed to take strict measures against them.--Antara