In the Varas district of Rivne region, a man cut down several trees in a botanical reserve, loaded them onto a trailer, and tried to take them away, but a forester noticed him.
According to the press service of the regional police, law enforcement officers are identifying the person involved in the illegal logging in the botanical reserve.
"Yesterday, the special line 102 received a report from a forest master that near the village of Zhuravlyne he had found a tractor with a homemade trailer loaded with freshly cut wood. The SOG of the Varas District Police Department found that an unknown person had illegally cut down 11 alder trees on the territory of the Mulchyky Botanical Reserve. During the transportation of timber products, the man's illegal activity was exposed by a forestry worker. Having unhooked the trailer from the tractor, the offender fled the scene," the statement said.
It is noted that the police seized more than 4 cubic meters of timber and took it to a special site. A pre-trial investigation has been initiated. Within the framework of criminal proceedings, the person involved in the crime is being identified.
The sanction of the article provides for a fine of UAH 17 to 25.5 thousand or arrest for up to 6 months, or restriction or imprisonment for up to 3 years.
As EcoPolitic reported, eco-activists from the "Ukrainian Environmental Protection Group" accused the state enterprise "Forests of Ukraine" of destruction of ancient forests during sanitary felling.
