Indonesia uncovers 1,500 illegal logs in Borneo forest, probing organised logging networks

Indonesian forestry authorities have uncovered more than 1,500 pieces of illegal timber stockpiled deep inside a forest area in Ketapang Regency, West Kalimantan, in what officials describe as a major breakthrough in efforts to dismantle organised forest crime at its source.

The discovery was made in Ulak Medang Village Forest following an investigation by the Kalimantan Regional Forestry Law Enforcement Agency, part of the Ministry of Forestry’s enforcement arm.

The case developed from reports by local residents who had noticed suspicious log-transport activity along the upper reaches of the Pawan River.

Timber raft interception leads investigators upstream

According to Leonardo Gultom, Head of the Kalimantan Regional Forestry Law Enforcement Agency, officers first intercepted a timber raft in the early hours of Saturday, 17 January 2026.

The raft had already docked opposite a timber processing site in Negeri Baru Village, Benua Kayong District.

“When inspected, the raft was found to be carrying around 600 logs of mixed tropical hardwood,” Leonardo said on Wednesday.

“None of the timber was accompanied by a Legal Timber Product Certificate or any other required licensing documents.”

The absence of documentation prompted investigators to immediately trace the origin of the timber. Within hours, a Forestry Law Enforcement team travelled upstream along the Pawan River to identify where the logs had been harvested.

Stockpiles found deep inside forest area

The investigation led officers to Ulak Medang Village, where they discovered active logging sites and extensive timber stockpiles inside a designated production forest area.

Access to the location was difficult, requiring approximately one hour of travel by river followed by a two-kilometre trek on foot through dense forest.

“At the site, we found unlicensed timber stockpiling. In total, more than 1,500 pieces of illegal timber were secured,” Leonardo said.

Officials said the evidence included four separate timber stockpiling points containing around 900 logs, four partially assembled timber rafts holding an estimated 450 logs, and hundreds more logs scattered at logging sites on land and in nearby waterways.

The team also seized tools believed to have been used in the illegal operation, including chainsaws, fuel supplies, and pushcarts used to transport logs from the forest interior to the river.

Investigators further identified makeshift logging roads and two temporary work huts, indicating sustained and organised activity rather than isolated cutting.

Suspected concession overlap raises concern

Based on field coordinate data collected during the operation, authorities believe the logging sites fall within the Sungai Sentap–Kancang Production Forest area. The location is strongly suspected to overlap with a licensed forest management concession held by PT MPK, a company authorised to conduct sustainable forest management activities in Ketapang Regency.

The presence of illegal logging within or adjacent to a concession area has raised serious concerns among investigators, who are now examining whether there were failures in oversight, internal controls, or possible complicity.

By the time enforcement officers arrived, no workers were present at the site, and the perpetrators are believed to have fled. The area was secured to preserve evidence for further investigation.

Focus on masterminds, not just loggers

Earlier in the operation, five individuals had been detained at the downstream site where the initial 600 logs were intercepted. Authorities are now examining their statements to establish the role of each individual and to identify the organisers and financiers behind the operation.

“We will pursue the intellectual actors and financiers behind this forest plundering,” Leonardo said. “The perpetrators face a maximum prison sentence of five years and fines of up to Rp2.5 billion.”

Forestry Law Enforcement officials stressed that the operation reflects a deliberate shift in strategy, aimed at dismantling illegal logging networks comprehensively rather than merely intercepting timber during transport.

“This case shows our seriousness in uncovering forestry crimes at their root,” Leonardo said. “Stopping the circulation of illegal timber downstream is not enough if the actors behind the logging remain untouched.”

Ongoing challenge for forest protection

For foreign observers, the case highlights the continuing challenges Indonesia faces in protecting its vast forest resources, particularly in remote areas where access is difficult and enforcement costly.

West Kalimantan, part of the island of Borneo, remains one of the country’s most forest-rich regions but is also vulnerable to illegal logging driven by demand for tropical hardwood.

As investigators continue to trace financial flows and command structures behind the operation, the Ketapang case is expected to become a test of Indonesia’s ability to translate field enforcement into successful prosecutions—and to ensure that legal forest concessions are not used as cover for illegal exploitation.