Over 2,000 tonnes of illegal timber seized in less than two months in Arakan

By Nyan Hein 24 Nov 2020

Nyan Hein | DMG
24 November 2020, Sittwe

More than 2,000 tonnes of illegal timber were seized in Arakan State from October to November 23, the State Forest Department said.

A senior clerk at the director’s office of the Arakan State Forest Department, Daw Soe Soe, said the confiscated timber was from Maungdaw, Taungup, Ann and Sittwe townships.

“The illegal timbers we have confiscated from October up to today [November 24] are more than 2,000 tonnes,” she said.

The illegal timber broke down to nearly 12 tonnes from Maungdaw Township, 490 tonnes from Sittwe Township, less than 7 tonnes from Ann Township and about 1,659 tonnes from Taungup Township, according to the Arakan State Forest Department.

The illegal timber producers are facing legal action under Sections 41(a) and 42(a) of the Forest Law, said Daw Soe Soe.

“Our Forest Department has been taking action at the respective police stations depending on the kind of timber confiscated. We have submitted and advised the Arakan State Court to sell the timber before they are damaged,” she said.

Arakan State confiscated about 1,900 tonnes of illegal timber in 2018-19 and more than 1,840 tonnes in 2019-20, according to the State Forestry Department.

With the October-November seizures of illegal timber at more than 2,000 tonnes, the illicit haul amounts to more than the full-year totals over each of the previous two years.