YANGON, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar authorities seized over 360 tons of illegal timbers across the country in one week, according to a release from the Forest Department under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation on Wednesday.
According to the release, the authorities confiscated 128.2 tons of illegal teak, 84.7 tons of hardwood and 151.1 tons of other types of timbers across the country from Aug. 10 to 16.
During the period, 38 offenders were charged in connection with the cases, along with the seizure of 27 vehicles and machinery.
According to the department's latest figures, a total of over 12,370 tons of illegal timbers, including over 3,098.2 tons of teak, over 2,602.7 tons of hardwood and over 6,669 tons of other types of timbers, were seized across the country in the first four months of present FY 2019-2020 which started in October.
During the period, 1,332 offenders were charged in connection with the cases, along with the seizure of 1,049 vehicles and machinery.
Meanwhile, the forest department has been making efforts to crack down on illegal logging and trading of forest products as well as to implement tree plantation projects in substitution. Enditem
