BINTULU, SARAWAK – A timber smuggling attempt was successfully stopped by the Sarawak Forestry Department (SFD), also known as Jabatan Hutan Sarawak (JHS), during an enforcement operation in the Kemena Industry Estate area on the night of April 25.
According to a statement from the Sarawak Forest Department Director, Datu Hamden Mohammad, the operation was carried out around 8.20pm while JHS officers were conducting their routine patrol to prevent forest-related crimes in the area.
During the raid, JHS enforcement personnel discovered five lorries loaded with illegal logs of various species and sizes. Inside, they found five men – four local Malaysians and one Indonesian – who failed to provide valid timber ownership documents as required by law.
“All the drivers failed to present legal documents for the timber. As a result, we seized the lorries and the logs, which were estimated to be worth around RM275,000,” said Datu Hamden.
The seized items have been taken to the Bintulu Regional Forest Office for further investigation and processing. Datu Hamden confirmed that the case will be brought to court, and the offenders will be charged under Section 96 of the Forests Ordinance, 2015 (Cap 71), which deals with the illegal possession of forest produce.
He also gave a strong reminder that the Sarawak Forestry Department remains fully committed to protecting the state’s forest resources from illegal activities.
“We will continue to intensify our operations and enforcement to ensure Sarawak’s natural resources are preserved for future generations,” he added.
This incident reflects the ongoing challenges in managing Sarawak’s vast forest resources and the need for consistent enforcement to curb illegal logging.
