Kupastuntas.co, Bandar Lampung - The Lampung Provincial Forestry Service noted that in 2022 yesterday there were four cases of illegal logging that were successfully uncovered and currently all suspects already caught.

Head of the Forest Protection and Conservation Division at the Forest Service of Lampung Province, Zulhaidir, explained that out of the four illegal logging cases, there were seven suspects who reacted in two areas.

"In 2022 there were four cases of illegal logging in two forest areas. First, in Way Waya there were two suspects and in Tahura Wan Abdul Rachman there were five suspects and all of them are in the process," he said, Wednesday (1/ 2/2023).

According to him, the punishment given to illegal loggers depends on the type of violation committed. However, based on Law Number 18 of 2013 illegal loggers can be punished with a minimum prison sentence of 1 year and a maximum of 5 years.

"For the fine itself, what can be given is 500 million to 2.5 billion rupiah. However, what will determine the sentence is the result of the trial," he explained.

According to him, cases of illegal logging in Lampung Province tend to show a decline. Where in 2021 approximately 35.8048 m3 of wood was successfully secured and in 2022 approximately 8.4849 m3.

"Most of the types of wood that were stolen were sonokeling wood. For the forest area, they were Tahura Wan Abdul Rachman, Pematang Neba, North Kota Agung and Way Waya. The area itself cannot be determined because the illegal logging that occurs is spotty in nature," he explained.

On this occasion he also explained that the number of forest police in Lampung Province was still not ideal. Where currently there are only 132 Forest Police.

"Ideally one forest police can back up 1,000 hectares. Meanwhile, the area of forest area managed by Lampung Province or under provincial authority is around 564,000 hectares," he explained.

However, he explained that his party was still trying to apply for additional forest police member. In addition, through the process of equalizing positions from structural employees to functional.

In addition, the Forestry Service also involves the community in carrying out forest security, both from members of farmer groups and communities around forest areas to become forest police partners.

"Currently there are around 600 Forest Police Partners spread throughout the province. So their job is to assist the Forest Police and carry out security for the areas they manage, especially social forestry managers," he said. (*)