Stolen wood confiscated

BANDAR LAMPUNG, Lampung: Forest authorities have seized 64 cubic meters of stolen timber, five motorbikes, five coffee- processing machines and six electric saws.

The authorities, currently conducting a 10-day anti-logging operation in western Lampung, also ordered about 1,600 semi-nomad families to stop cutting trees in the forests.

Eleven cubic meters of the seized wood was taken in as evidence for further investigation while the remaining 53 cubic meters were cut up into small pieces and burned at the site, Antara reported.

ASM Panjaitan, head of the local forestry office, said the wood was destroyed as a strong warning for semi-nomad families to stop their habits of burning forests to open agricultural land.

"The families have agreed to leave reserved forest areas on the mountains and we will closely supervise them," he said, adding that they were given until July 16 to leave. (pwn)