SIBU, Aug 28: Some 15,850 timber and logs worth RM186,000 from four illegal sawmills in Pusa were seized in a joint operation by the authorities yesterday.
Acting on a public tip-off, the team raided three sawmills located around Kampung Beladin Hulu and one at Jalan Meludam between 3pm and 6pm in Pusa.
General Operations Force (PGA) 10th Battalion commander Supt Sanudin Md Isa said the joint operation was conducted together with Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC).
“The first raid was conducted at 3pm, where they found 10,000 pieces of sawn timber and logs of various sizes worth RM110,000 followed by the second raid at 3.30pm where there was 1,150 pieces worth RM18,000. During the third and fourth raid, they found 1,600 and 3,100 pieces of various sawn timber and logs, worth RM30,000 and RM28,000 respectively,” Sanudin said in a statement.
None of the logs had official markings. Police also seized several bandsaws, gensets, wheel loaders, sharpening machines and dynamos.
“Four suspects, aged between 40 and 50-years-old, were later arrested by the police. They admitted that they are the owners of the sawmills and all of them failed to produce any legal documentation to prove the legitimacy of the factories and logs,” he added.
The case is being investigated under the Sarawak Forest Ordinance 2015.
All seized items have been handed over to the Forestry Department in Sibu for further action. — DayakDaily
