SFC cripples illegal logging at Ulu Sungai Kelawit, Tatau

KUCHING: Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) has successfully crippled what it is believed to a big illegal logging operation at Ulu Sungai Kelawit near Tatau in Bintulu Division yesterday.
SFC, in a statement, said their enforcement team from the Bintulu regional office with the assistance of the Teluk Batu one-stop compliance centre (OSCC) in Tatau went into action soon after receiving information about the suspicious logging activities at the location and discovered 10 piles of logs.
It said so far they had detained more than 3,500 logs of various sizes and species as well as 14 items of machinery including two tractors, 10 excavators, a shovel, and a dump lorry.
They also recorded statements from two persons at the scene.
"The location we raided was actually a timber license area. However, we have established that this logging operation has not been sanctioned by either the Forest Department or SFC and is therefore illegal," SFC said.
The statement added that a report on the raid had been lodged at the Tatau Police Station and the case had been handed over to the Forest Department for further investigation. — Bernama