Nine apprehended for illegal logging

MANADO, North Sulawesi: A senior police officer revealed on Thursday that police had arrested nine people and seized 57 cubic meters of illegal logs from them. The illegal loggers were apprehended at Bitung port last week, said Bitung Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Ahsanur Rozimi. "We made the arrests after receiving information that three vessels docked in the port were laden with undocumented logs," said Rozimi.

The illegal logs and the vessels' crews are now being detained at North Sulawesi Provincial Police Headquarters.

Besides arresting the illegal loggers, the Bitung Police also confiscated 41 tons of diesel that was destined to be smuggled abroad. The ship carrying the fuel was detained last week at Lembe island in North Sulawesi.-- Antara