BELURAN: Two Filipinos were detained for trespassing into a forest reserve to strip mangrove trees of their barks at Pulau Jambongan on Saturday afternoon.
Commanding Officer of General Operation Force (GOF) Battalion 20 Beluran, ACP Mohd Nasaruddin M Nasir said the duo were detained during the “Khazanah Operation” carried by Tiger Platoon BN20 along with Pitas Forestry Department around 5pm.
Mohd Nasaruddin said the Filipinos aged 36 and 37 who had no valid identification documents were caught red handed harvesting the barks using their axes.
“The enforcement team led by Insp. Mohd Damsa Dahlan had gone to Sungai Sugut, Sungai Paitan off Pulau Jambongan.
Upon monitoring and inspection at the area, they saw the two men cutting trees,” he said in a statement, Sunday.
Found were four piles of mangrove tree barks, each estimated around one tonne with total value amounting to RM52,000 based on current market price.
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“The enforcement team confiscated axes, hammers and three small sampans,” he added.
All seizures and the Filipinos were brought to Beluran police station for further investigation.
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