Ministry of Forestry Arrests Owner of Hundreds of Illegally Logged Timber Destined for South Sulawesi

Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Law Enforcement Directorate of the Ministry of Forestry (Kemenhut) has arrested the owner of hundreds of illegally logged timber after successfully halting an attempted shipment from Central Sulawesi to South Sulawesi.

The Head of the Forestry Law Enforcement Centre for Sulawesi Region, Ali Bahri, confirmed in a statement from Jakarta on Friday that the owner of mixed forest timber, identified as H, had been designated as a suspect following investigation into the transportation of hundreds of logs without proper documentation in North Morowali District, Central Sulawesi, in January.

“This case development demonstrates the government’s commitment to seriously prosecuting all instances of illegal forest product trafficking. Designating this timber owner as a suspect reflects our commitment to firmly dealing with all parties involved in forestry crimes, not only ground-level operators but also those behind these illegal activities,” he said.

Bahri explained that suspect H has acknowledged ownership of hundreds of mixed forest logs that were secured by officers during an enforcement operation in January. The timber had been transported from Beteleme Village, North Morowali District, Central Sulawesi, with the intended destination being South Sulawesi.

Investigators are continuing to conduct further investigations to identify those responsible for creating and providing the forged documents.

Bahri noted that the designation of a suspect resulted from the development of investigations into the transportation of hundreds of illegally logged mixed forest timber using two trucks that were previously secured by the Rapid Response Forest Police Unit (SPORC) in South Sulawesi.

Previously, investigators had designated two suspects identified as Y and F, who were field operators of the timber transportation operation. Following further investigation, the timber owner’s identity was subsequently revealed and identified as H.

If found guilty in court, suspect H could face a maximum prison sentence of five years and fines of up to 2.5 billion rupiah.