TNI forms team to probe forest crime

JAKARTA: The Indonesian Military (TNI) has set up a special joint team with the police and prosecutors in a bid to help speed up investigations into the alleged involvement of military officials and law enforcers in illegal logging activities in the country.

Deputy chief of the military police Brig. Gen. Hendardji said on Thursday that the joint team would also investigate civilian officials involved in the crime.

He believed that certain officials from the Ministry of Forestry were also involved in illegal logging as the ministry provides the green light for people to conduct logging activities.

The fight against the rampant illegal logging here received a strong boost after a joint investigation by local and foreign non-governmental organizations uncovered a massive smuggling operation of illegal timber out of Papua mainly to China. --Antara