Trucks impounded for illegal logs

PADANG, West Sumatra: West Sumatra Police on Saturday impounded eight trucks and questioned their drivers for transporting logs without proper documentation from several areas in the province.

West Sumatra Police chief of detectives, Sr. Comr. Octavianus Far Far, said: "We don't know who are the owners of the illegal logs. We are still gathering information from the truck drivers among others."

Preliminary questioning showed that the logs were transported from Pesisir Selatan and Solok regencies and were en route to a saw mill in Padang.

Five trucks were stopped from Bungus and Teluk Kabung while the remaining three were impounded in the Lubuk Paraku area.

Octavianus also suspected that security personnel helped to provide backup for the illegal logging activities.

"We have yet to find the security personnel behind this illegal logging. If they are caught red-handed, they will be dismissed from the police force," he said. (28)