The death penalty is being introduced in Indonesia for those found guilty of financing or organising illegal logging.
Forestry department officials said extraordinary measures are needed to combat an extraordinary crime in a country which loses an estimated 3.8 million ha a year to loggers, with more than 90% of the timber cut illegally.
The new laws include the introduction of criminal charges for those who cut or transport illegal logs. As well as targeting illegal loggers, the new laws will punish police and army officers who give out false documents or take no action after receiving reports of illegal logging.
A taskforce has also been set up to work with police to combat the trade that costs Indonesia A$4.73bn a year.
