More than 5,000 tonnes of illegal timber seized in Arakan State over less than a year

By DMG 22 Sep 2021

DMG Newsroom
22 September 2021, Sittwe

More than 5,000 tonnes of illegal timber were seized in Arakan State between October 2020 and August of this year, according to figures from the state’s Forest Department.

Just over 5,181 tonnes of logs were seized over the period, with Thandwe District reporting the biggest seizures by far, at about 4,047 tonnes.

U Zaw Zaw Aung, assistant director of the Arakan State Forest Department, said: “This year, most illegal timber was seized from Thandwe District. The smugglers are using different routes that depend on the area they transport the logs.”

The seized timber is categorised into three groups: teaks, hardwood and other woods, of which other woods accounted for about 4,000 tonnes, U Zaw Zaw Aung said.

The timber seized in Arakan State is not only sourced from Arakan State. Some wood has been traced to the Bago mountain range and Minbu Township in Magway Region, which borders Arakan State, according to the department.

Between October 2020 and August 2021, about 4,047 tonnes were seized in Thandwe District; 212 tonnes were seized in Maungdaw District; 665 tonnes from Sittwe District; and 258 tonnes from Kyaukphyu District were seized, according to figures from the Forest Department.