Cotton Tree Residents Charged for Illegal Logging

Four residents of Cotton Tree Village have been charged for illegal possession of forest produce. The Belize Forest Department said authorities uncovered an illegal logging site in the southwest section of the Maya Forest Corridor.

The discovery was made on Sunday by Wildlife Conservation Society rangers who found an active site with large quantities of mahogany and salmwood lumber. Four individuals “were found in possession of approximately 112 pieces of mahogany and 85 pieces of salmwood lumber of various dimensions without any valid permits,” the department stated.

The four individuals were identified as 44-year-old Noemi Perez, 21-year-old Wedlyn Maas, 23-year-old Melvin Jesus Maas, and 48-year-old Everardo Maas.

Two vehicles loaded with the forest produce were seized, and the individuals were charged under Section 19 of the Forest Act for “Unlawful Possession of Forest Produce.”

A follow-up operation “recovered an additional 30 pieces of mahogany lumber from the surrounding forested area,” the department added.

The Forest Department urged the public to help protect Belize’s forests by reporting any suspicious activity to its hotline at 610-1524.