|
24 August 2004
RM3.8 million of illegal timber seized
KUCHING Aug 24 - The Sarawak Forestry Corporation Sdn Bhd (SFC), through the Security and Asset Protection Unit (SAPU), has seized illegal timber worth RM3.8 million within the first year of its formation.
SAPU General Manager Sani Bakar said the seizure included those Sempadi Forest Reserve in Lundu, Sungai
Retus (Batang Igan) and Kidurung (Bintulu) last week.
"We detected two of the three illegal logging activities through satellite images before despatching our personnel to the locations," he told reporters here, Tuesday.
He said the three illegal logging activities resulted in the seizure of 1,514 logs weighing 1,015.22 tonnes with an
estimated value of RM480,000.
In the operation in Sempadi Forest Reserve, 10 men were arrested for ivestigation to help identify the company
involved in illegal logging.
He said the officers also seized six timber lorries in the operation and the vehicle owners were being traced.
Sani said that with information technology, illegal logging activities in the state could be wiped out completely in the
near future.
He said the illegal logging activities in the state were still low, accounting to about one percent of the 12 million cubic metres of timber produced annually.
"The figure is not a cause for concern but SAPU is monitoring illegal logging activities nevetheless," he said.
Sani said SFC, through SAPU, would also continue to enforce the ban on sales of protected animals in the state
which was said to be rampant.
| |
Advertisement
|
MTC’s
