The Mozambican authorities have recovered a total of 69 containers of precious wood that had been illegally exported to the People's Republic of China from the port of Pemba by undisclosed groups operating in the logging sector.

The figures were revealed on Thursday by the Minister for Land and Environment, Ivete Maibaze, at the opening of the 5th Coordinating Council of her department, where she presented the balance of activities carried out during the five-year period that is about to end.

According to the minister, quoted by Terra MagazineThe 69 containers recovered are part of a total of 76 identified as having been smuggled to China, a country that has been the preferred market for timber harvested in Mozambique, some of it illegally, due to the high demand from that country's industry.

In the same vein, Maibaze said that "the attempt to export 12 wooden containers, in disagreement with the legally established conditions, was aborted", with the Ports of Nacala and Quelimane being the points that were being used for the exit.

Taking stock of the inspection activities carried out since 2020 in the forest areas, she reported on more than 8,900 actions, which resulted in the imposition of almost 5,000 fines, with a total value of more than 560 million meticais.

"As a result, 31,896.00 m3 of logs and sawn timber of various native species were seized, including wood fuels and construction materials," he said.

 (Photo DR)