MALAKAND: Major crackdown against timber smuggling, the Forest Department seized 363 cubic feet of wood and arrested four accused persons during successful operations.
The Forest Department with the directives of the Provincial government has intensified its crackdown on illegal timber smuggling. As part of these efforts, the Malakand Forest Division team conducted two separate operations on the Swat Motorway, successfully foiling smuggling attempts and recovering a total of 363 cubic feet of deodar and kail timber.
According to details, under the supervision of Divisional Forest Officer Malakand, Wasil Khan, the forest team carried out an effective operation at the Malak Ahmad Khan Baba Check Post. During the operation 288 cubic feet of timber hidden under scrap material was recovered from a Mazda, and two accused were arrested on the spot.
In a separate operation at the same check post, 77 cubic feet of timber was seized from a pickup vehicle, leading to the arrest of two more accused. The Forest Department team took both vehicles and the recovered timber into official custody and registered cases against the accused under the Forest Ordinance.
On the occasion, DFO Wasil Khan reaffirmed that, in accordance with the directives of the provincial government, the department will continue its vigorous operations to protect forests and curb illegal timber smuggling in the future as well.
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