KUALA KRAI: Three loggers were detained by Kelantan forestry rangers for carrying out illegal logging in permanent forest reserves and on government land.
State Forestry Department deputy director Abdul Wahab Deraman said the trio were arrested in a series of operations here and in Gua Musang last year.
The department also seized several pieces of equipment and vehicles used in the illegal activity.
"We recorded 10 illegal logging cases the past year and arrested three loggers. We seized logs, equipment and vehicles worth thousands of ringgit."
Wahab said seven of the 10 cases were recorded in permanent forest reserves and three cases on government land.
He added that the forest reserves were Sungai Durian, Gunung Stong and Nenggiri.
"Our rangers will continue to carry out patrols and enforcement operations to stop illegal activity in the forests."
It is learned that the department used drones and other technology, such as the Forest Monitoring Using Remote Sensing System (FMRS), in their operations.
FMRS uses the Geographic Information System and high-resolution satellite images to detect changes in permanent forest reserves.
On Feb 27, Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad told the Dewan Rakyat that 90 cases of illegal logging were recorded last year, 60 of which were in Sarawak
He said Perak had the second highest number of cases at 11, and Kelantan had 10.
In Sabah, he said, four cases were recorded followed by two in Selangor and one each in Johor, Pahang and Negri Sembilan.
He added that the culprits had have been charged under the National Forestry Act 1984 in Peninsular Malaysia, the Forest Ordinance 2015 in Sarawak and the Forest Enactment 1968.