Indonesia probes illegal logging in Sumatra after deadly flood timber found

Indonesia probes illegal logging in Sumatra after deadly flood timber found

Authorities examine whether timber carried by devastating floods was linked to illegal logging in Sumatra and longstanding permit fraud networks. Indonesia’s Ministry of Environment and Forestry has launched an extensive investigation into whether timber scattered across flood-hit regions originated from illegal logging in Sumatra, intensifying scrutiny of suspected permit fraud networks and long-standing forest crime operations. The inquiry comes after a rare tropical cyclone in the Malacca Strait unleashed torrential rain, triggering catastrophic flooding, landslides, and widespread destruction across Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra. Officials said the investigation is essential for understanding how much of the timber carried by the floods was linked to natural debris and how much could be tied to illegal logging in Sumatra. The results will shape the government’s next steps in forest governance, enforcement, and accountability. Director General of Law Enforcement Dwi Januanto N…