The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) has confiscated 75 planks found at a farm in the Kavango West Region and arrested two men in a separate incident at Okahandja for harvesting protected plants.
In a media statement issued on Monday, MEFT spokesperson Romeo Muyunda said forestry officials responsible for the two Kavango regions on 15 July 2022 discovered 75 planks buried on farm unit number 1902 after a tip off from the public.
“The planks are believed to have been illegally harvested from farm number 1903. Both farms (1902/3) are in the Ncamagoro Constituency of the Kavango West Region,” Muyunda explained.
He said provisional information indicates that the planks were harvested without the consent and knowledge of the farm owner.
The operation was conducted by the ministry’s forestry officials and the Namibian Police on 15 and 16 July 2022. All 75 planks were then confiscated and transported to the Mururani Check Point.
“For now, no arrests have been made or fines issued. We have, however, in our possession the names of suspected people involved in this illegal activity,” he stated.
In another incident on 16 July 2022, two men, a Chinese national and a Namibian, were arrested in Okahandja after they were found in possession of protected plant species.
These plant species are; four Adenia pechuelii plants, 15 Cyphostemma plants, eight Commphoras plants, five parcels containing Welwitschia seeds, and 12 parcels with different unidentified seeds.
Muyunda said the arrest of the two men came after the ministry’s officials followed up on a video in which the two suspects were seen collecting protected plants, reportedly in the area of Usakos in the Erongo Region.
“A team was dispatched immediately to investigate the incident. Preliminary investigations in the area confirmed the incident. However the suspects could not be found. While the MEFT officials were on their way driving back to Windhoek, they came across the two suspects in Okahandja driving a black seven seater vehicle,” he pointed out.
The police reportedly followed the suspects without them knowing to a flat in Okahandja and at the same time alerted the Blue Rhino Task Team who arrested the duo.
Source: The Namibian Press Agency
