Nghe An: Criminal case initiated for illegal exploitation of 25 gas trees in border area

Nghe An: 25 gas trees because of illegal logging in border forest area

(Baonghean.vn) - The 25 trees that were cut down were all in natural forest areas, most of the wood was sawed and taken away from the scene.

On May 25, 2020, the Head of the Tuong Duong District Forest Protection Department, Mr. Nguyen Huu Hien, issued two decisions to prosecute a criminal case against the case of illegal logging in the border forest area of ​​Mai Son commune.

In which, Decision No. 01/QD-HKL initiated a criminal case: Crime of violating regulations on exploitation and protection of forests and forest products occurred at plot 7, sub-zone 503, Pieng Cooc village, Mai Son commune, which is a natural forest area belonging to the production forest managed by the People's Committee of Mai Son commune.

A cajuput tree in the border forest of Mai Son commune was illegally logged for wood and burned. Photo: Contributor

Decision No. 02/QD-HKL to initiate criminal proceedings: Crime of violating regulations on forest exploitation and protection and forest products occurring at plot 6, sub-zone 503, Pieng Cooc village, Mai Son commune, a natural forest area belonging to the protective forest managed by the Tuong Duong Protective Forest Management Board.

It is known that the decisions to initiate criminal proceedings were transferred to the People's Procuracy of Xiangyang District. Considering that the two cases initiated by the Forest Protection Department were under the investigative jurisdiction of the Xiangyang District Police Investigation Agency, on May 26, 2020, the Chief Prosecutor of Xiangyang District People's Procuracy issued a decision to transfer the case to the Xiangyang District Police Investigation Agency for investigation under its jurisdiction.

Some illegally logged wood panels left at the scene. Photo: Contributor

Regarding the case of illegal border forest exploitation in Mai Son commune, Tuong Duong district, on May 27, 2020, Nghe An Electronic Newspaper reported in the article“Nghe An: 25 gas trees because of illegal exploitation in border forests”The article content informs that 25 cassia trees were cut down, all in the natural forest area, sub-region 503, border forest area in Mai Son commune, Tuong Duong district.

In which, at location 7 (a production forest managed by the People's Committee of Mai Son commune), there were 7 sandalwood trees (group 7) that were cut down. Most of the wood was sawn and removed from the scene; in this area, there were 7 round logs, with a volume of 14 m³. At location 6 (a protective forest managed by the Tuong Duong Protective Forest Management Board), there are 18 cassia tree stumps that have been cut down. Most of the wood has been sawed and removed from the scene; only 5 round logs remain, with a volume of 10.782 m³.

After illegally exploiting the trees, the subjects used the wood to build houses. Photo: Contributor

After discovering the incident, the People's Committee of Tuong Duong district directed the district police, the Forest Protection Department, the Protective Forest Management Board, and the People's Committee of Mai Son commune to coordinate in investigating and clarifying the case. Through initial investigation, it was determined that 13 Mong ethnic households residing in Pieng Cooc village, Mai Son commune, illegally exploited wood, with the purpose of using the wood to repair and build houses. Of which, 5 households illegally exploited in production forests managed by the People's Committee of Mai Son commune; 8 households exploited in protective forests managed by the Tuong Duong Protective Forest Management Board.

Scene of the border forest of Mai Son commune, the location of illegally exploited sandalwood trees. Photo: Contributor

Grasping the new developments, it is known that on May 26, 2020, the Working Group of the Forest Protection Department coordinated with the Investigation Police Department, the Environmental Police Department, the Criminal Techniques Department of the Provincial Police; the Provincial Procuracy; the Police, the Procuracy, the Protective Forest Management Board... of Tuong Duong district to organize a scene inspection.

As a result, it was determined that at plot 6, sub-area 503, there were 19 cassia trees that had been cut down; at plot 7, sub-area 503, there were 7 cassia trees that had been cut down, most of the wood had been sawed and removed from the scene, and some tree stumps had been burned. Thus, a total of 26 cassia trees in the border forest area of ​​Mai Son commune, Tuong Duong district had been illegally exploited.