New timber smuggling method found

JAKARTA (JP): An operation team set up to curb forest crimes uncovered a new method of wood smuggling during a raid at Jakarta's Tanjung Priok harbor.

The head of Jakarta's provincial forestry office, Purwadi Mangunwardoyo, said yesterday the team foiled an attempt to smuggle 30.18 cubic meters of processed wood worth Rp 45 million (US$19,565), about Rp 1.5 million per cubic meter, to Taiwan early this month.

The wood -- separated into 16 packages for the assembling of one house -- was found on-board the KM Sindulang.

"Don't look at the volume or value of the wood. It is the modus operandi that we must be aware of, because it may have happened in the past," he said.

The processed wood was found to have original documents but the type of wood used did not match that written in the documents.

Purwadi explained that according to the shipping documents, the processed wood -- in the form of wooden housing parts -- was "mixed forest timber".

"But the raid discovered that meranti wood, 'luxury wood' and teak were also involved. The teak is suspected to have come from Muna island in Southeast Sulawesi," he said.

Meranti wood, "luxury wood" and teakwood are expensive types of timber which are known for their strength and beauty.

Purwadi said the smuggling was uncovered when the KM Sindulang stopped over at Tanjung Priok to transfer its cargo into container boxes at the port's export terminal. The timber came from the local forestry office in Donggala, Southeast Sulawesi, and is owned by PT Centuri Jaya Industri, he said.

Purwadi acknowledged that he was facing the problem of legal procedures because the owners of the goods are not in Jakarta.

"In fact, I heard that they are in Central Sulawesi, so the forestry team will have difficulty processing this case," he said, as quoted by Antara.

He said an auction of the timber is likely to be held in the near future.

"But it must be done quickly, otherwise the value of the goods will drop," he said. (pwn)