Did you catch the latest report from the Ministry of Environment? They recorded 157 natural resource crimes across the country's protected areas in August alone—10 more than in July. It really feels like the illegal loggers and poachers just never rest.
Illegal logging took the top spot with 67 cases, followed by wildlife offenses at 40. There were also 33 cases of illegal land encroachment, 16 fisheries violations, and even one illegal mining case. Rangers logged over 1,200 patrols throughout the month and uncovered nearly 48 hectares of cleared forest. Cases involving more than 20 of those hectares have already been forwarded to court. Seeing the forests and land getting stripped like this is just painful.
Authorities have formally opened files on 69 cases so far, with six cases involving eight suspects already sent to court. To help rangers catch more perpetrators, the ministry has been holding training workshops across several provinces. They're teaching field staff how to properly document crime scenes, gather solid evidence, build court cases, and even track financial crimes like money laundering. It looks like officials are really trying to step up their game this time.
