Two logging operators in court for not paying ‘Operação Tronco’ fines

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Two logging operators in court for not paying ‘Operação Tronco’ fines

12:30 CAT | 28 Jul 2017

Notícias (File photo)

Two logging operators in the province of Sofala are to be taken to court for failing to pay fines imposed under Operation Tronco.

Both are Chinese nationals, and own two of the 19 yards inspected and fined during the operation, when more than 1,700 cubic meters of wood from logs with lower than recommended dimensions were found.

The head of the Provincial Forest and Wildlife Services in Sofala, Paz Martinho, told Rádio Moçambique that in addition to forwarding the process for tax enforcement, his sector had cancelled the two operators’ licenses.

“The law is clear. When a fine is not paid, we are to direct the case to fiscal execution. At this moment, the process is there for coercive tax collection,” Martinho said.

Operation Tronco was launched by the Ministry of Land, Environment and Rural Development at the beginning of March in the northern provinces of Cabo Delgado and Nampula, and in Zambezia, Tete, Manica and Sofala.

Its aim was to trace up to 700,000 cubic meters of illegally logged timber, valued at 20,000 million meticais, expected to be found in these provinces.

The operation has up to now resulted in the seizure of 150,000 cubic meters of wood of various species. The wood seized will revert to state ownership and will be used to meet national and social needs including the production of school furniture.

Source: Folha de Maputo