Two-day operation nets illegally felled logs in Bintulu, Saratok

0

Illegal short logs seized by SFC and the Marine Police at Batang Kemena, Sebauh.

Part of the 341-log and machinery haul from the Saratok operation.

KUCHING: Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC), in collaboration with the Marine Police, seized a total of 1,220 illegal short logs of various sizes and species in Sebauh, Bintulu during operations held over the past two days.

SFC in a statement yesterday said tip-offs from the public against illegal logging have been a key factor in numerous successful enforcement operations carried out by the corporation and Marine Police under its National Blue Ocean Strategy (NBOS).

“Upon receiving information yesterday, the enforcement team of officers from SFC’s Bintulu Regional Office, One-Stop Compliance Centre (OSCC) Tubau, and Marine Police was dispatched to a location at Batang Kemena, Sebauh yesterday (Monday) evening,” said an SFC spokesperson, noting that the team foiled an attempt to smuggle 200 illegal short logs of various sizes and species that had been tied into a raft.

“The team continued checking the surrounding areas this morning (yesterday) and subsequently discovered another 1,020 illegal short logs, believed to be extracted from a forest nearby.

“Upon checking, none of the logs bore any official markings and were subsequently detained upon confirmation that no licence to extract timber had been issued at the area.”

A report on the raid was lodged at the police station in Bintulu. The case will be handed over to the state Forest Department for further investigation and disposal.

On another case, SFC said a local supervisor was caught red-handed in a case of suspected illegal logging by an enforcement team from the General Operations Force (GOF) Sibu, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Sibu and SFC Kuching Regional Office.

The raid took place within a forested area at Ulu Sungai Awik, near Saratok on Monday afternoon.

In addition to the capture of the suspect, 341 pieces of illegal logs, three lorries, two excavators, a bulldozer and a wheel log loader were also seized at the raided location.

The logs were suspected to be illegally extracted because of the absence of official markings.

“The encroachment into the forested area was first detected by SFC officers stationed at our

OSCC Betong,” the statement added.

A police report on the case was made at Saratok Police Station and the suspect turned in to the police for further remand.

The case has been handed over to the state Forest Department for further investigation and disposal.