Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia's Ministry of Environment and Forestry is investigating whether timber carried by recent floods in Sumatra originated from illegal logging and permit fraud schemes.
Director General of Law Enforcement (Gakkum) of the ministry Dwi Januanto Nugroho said on Sunday that the wood found in flood-hit areas may have come from multiple sources, ranging from fallen trees and river debris to logging sites and illegal practices.
"The timber swept away by the floods could originate from various sources - decayed trees, river materials, legal logging areas, or misuse of land-rights permits (PHAT) and illegal logging," Nugroho explained.
He stressed that the ministry's focus is to professionally trace every indication of violations and process evidence of forest crimes through legal mechanisms.
"Our explanation is not meant to dismiss the possibility of illegal practices behind the timber, but to clarify the sources we are investigating and ensure that any element of illegal logging is prosecuted," he said.
The ministry noted that in 2025 alone, enforcement teams uncovered several cases of timber laundering in flood-affected regions.
In Aceh Tengah, investigators seized 86.6 cubic meters of illegal wood in June.
In Solok, West Sumatra, authorities confiscated 152 logs along with two excavators and a bulldozer in August.
In October, joint operations in the Mentawai Islands and Gresik uncovered more than 4,600 cubic meters of timber linked to problematic permits.
Another case in Sipirok, South Tapanuli, involved four trucks carrying 44 cubic meters of logs with frozen permits.
"Forest crimes are no longer simple. Timber from protected areas can be laundered into legal schemes using falsified or borrowed PHAT documents. That is why we are not only targeting illegal logging in the field, but also tracing documents, supply chains, and financial flows behind it," Nugroho said.
As part of preventive measures, the ministry has imposed a moratorium on the SIPuHH timber documentation system for land-rights permits in non-forest areas, aiming to block its misuse in circulating illegally harvested wood.
Heavy rains fueled by a rare tropical cyclone in the Malacca Strait triggered widespread flooding and landslides across Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra this week.
The death toll has climbed to over 300 people, with nearly 280 still missing and around 80,000 residents evacuated from affected areas.
Rescue operations remain challenging due to collapsed roads, damaged bridges, and limited access to remote communities.
Authorities, supported by the military and police, continue search and relief efforts, while emergency shelters and food supplies are being distributed to survivors