Jakarta – Eighteen syndicates of illegal loggers operating from Java, Sumatra and Kalimantan cost the state an annual Rp1.2 trillion (US$125 million) in lost revenue. All 18 gangs in the logging mafia have special connections with police and local governments. And they have lots of money, enough to bribe all important people, including guards at national parks, to facilitate their misdeeds, Forestry Ministry Secretary General Soeripto was quoted as saying by Antara in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, Saturday.

He said earlier this month, police and the Forestry Ministry arrested the leaders of three syndicates. They are Alijambi, who operated from Riau; Hartono, who operated from Pasuruan [East Java]; and Sudono, who operated from Surabaya [East Java] A fourth syndicate leader, Akie, from Tegal in Central Java, is still being searched for by police.

Soeripto is hopeful the courts will punish the arrested illegal logging bosses. In addition to our personnel and police upholding the law, public prosecutors should also be serious when handling cases of illegal logging and trading of illegal lumber, otherwise all our efforts will have been in vain, he sad.

The Forestry Ministry has submitted to police files on 14 leaders of illegal logging syndicates, including Abdul Rasyid, who runs operations in Central Kalimantan.

Soeripto said several logging mafia in groups in Kalimantan are yet to be detected, due to the regions vast size and a shortage of forestry personnel.

Illegal logging in Sumatra, Kalimantan and Java has led to an increase in erosion, floods and landslides, often resulting in a high human casualties. The clearing of the forests has put several animal species on the brink of extinction.