Illegal logging: 330 cases recorded in January

Authorities established 330 cases of illegal logging and timber transportation in Georgia in the month of January, with 17 of the instances deemed criminal offences, the Environmental Supervision Department announced on Wednesday.

Between January 1-31, up to 563 cubic metres of illegally harvested timber were seized by relevant state agencies, with a majority - 188 cases - recorded in the eastern region of Kakheti.

Instances of illegal logging were also identified in: 

• Imereti - 38 cases
• Kvemo Kartli - 27
• Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti - 24 cases
• Samtskhe-Javakheti - 19 cases
• Adjara - 19 cases
• Guria - 5 cases
• Shida Kartli - 5 cases
• Samtskhe-Javakheti - 4 cases

As for the Georgian capital city of Tbilisi, only one incident of illegal logging and transportation of timber was uncovered. 

The figures also show 31 cases of violation of technical regulations at sawmills recorded, and three units of unregistered sawmills seized by the environmental supervision department.