Menongue - A total of 610 logs of Mussivi type wood (forbidden to be exploited) have been seized recently in Cuito Cuanavale municipality, Cuando Cubango province, by the Criminal Investigation Service (SIC), in coordination with the Forestry Development Institute (IDF).
Francisco Calei, SIC spokesman, said the seizure is the result of activities the SIC has carried out to prevent and combat environmental crimes, culminating in the thwarting and clarification of various crimes, most notably the illegal exploration of the Mussivi wood.
Calei said the SIC is doing everything to ensure that the perpetrators are apprehended as soon as possible, taking into account that this practice is mostly carried out by Angolans with logging licenses in collaboration with foreign citizens, especially Chinese.
The SIC spokesperson added that failure by forestry sector operators to comply with rules will lead to the seizure and confiscation of the wood and the means and equipment used to transport it, in favor of the state.
Calei said that during the current year seven Portuguese citizens, aged between 25 and 47 were arrested for illegal logging.
The spokesman called on the population to denounce those who carry out this activity, cutting down forbidden species of plants, from the least grown to medicinal and rare ones, which is a violation of the rules laid down by the Ministry of Environment. LMZ/ALK/FF/PLB/AMP
