Interpol seizes US$40m worth of timber

22 August 2013


Nearly US$40m worth of South American timber has now been seized as part of Interpol’s Operation Lead targeting illegal logging, forest crimes and the criminal networks behind them.

Some 292,000m3 of wood and wood products – equivalent to 19,500 truckloads – have been seized in Venezuela and Costa Rica during investigations and operations following the operation’s launch in late 2012.

Venezuela accounted for nearly two-thirds of the total, with 188,000m3 of wood seized in a single month. Authorities carried out operations at logging camps, sawmills and transportation corridors.

“The ongoing law enforcement operations in Latin America demonstrate the profound and long-lasting impact of Interpol’s environmental crime initiatives,” said David Higgins, head of Interpol’s environmental crime programme.

The first phase of Operation Lead, held under the auspices of Interpol’s Environmental Crime Programme and its Project Leaf, was conducted in 12 Latin American countries, resulting in nearly 200 arrests and seizures of more than 50,000m3 of wood, estimated at around US$8m.

“It is important to continue to evolve our enforcement efforts and build on the successes of previous operations to begin to target international criminal operations responsible for large-scale illegal logging,” said Mr Higgins.

In addition to ongoing law enforcement operations, Venezuelan authorities have been leading replanting efforts in affected areas, reforesting 8,000ha. They have also implemented educational programmes to inform the public about the dangers associated with illegal logging.

Operation Lead participating countries include Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Paraguay, Peru, and Venezuela.

Project Leaf is a consortium initiative led by Interpol, with the United Nations Environment Programme and with the financial support of the Norwegian Agency for Development Co-operation.