Forestry Enforcement Unit Uncovers Inter-Island Illegal Timber Trade in East Kalimantan

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Forestry, together with the Indonesian Navy (TNI AL) and the National Police (Polri), has successfully uncovered an illegal inter-island timber trading practice in East Kalimantan by designating the warehouse manager PS alias R as the main suspect. In a statement confirmed from Jakarta on Thursday, the Head of the Forestry Law Enforcement Unit (Gakkum) for the Kalimantan Region of the Ministry of Forestry, Leonardo Gultom, announced that PS alias R has been named a suspect as the person in charge of the warehouse suspected to be a storage site for illegal timber originating from illegal logging. “The suspect faces a prison sentence of up to five years and a maximum fine of Rp2.5 billion,” he said. He explained that PS was secured by officers on Tuesday (21/4) at Soekarno Hatta Road Km 8, Samarinda-Balikpapan, after investigators had previously examined F (24), who was detained by the Balikpapan Naval Base (Lanal) team for transporting ulin timber accompanied by a Forest Product Legality Certificate (SKSHH) suspected to be non-compliant with legal provisions at Semayang Port in Balikpapan. In addition to designating PS as a suspect, investigators also seized one truck loaded with illegal ulin timber with SKSHH documents suspected to be non-compliant with those provisions. The investigators then successfully located the timber storage site at a wood warehouse in Loa Janan, Samarinda City, managed by PS. Leonardo stated that his side would not stop at designating just one suspect. He has instructed investigators to continue developing the handling of this case to uncover other perpetrators involved in the illegal timber trading network. “This success is the fruit of solid synergy between the Forestry Law Enforcement Unit, the Navy, and the Police. We will continue to take firm action against the transportation of unauthorised forest products to maintain forest conservation,” Leonardo added.