Four house searches in investigation into illegal deforestation: consignment of wood seized from company in Lier (Antwerp)

Four house searches took place in the province of Antwerp on Thursday in an investigation into illegal deforestation. A consignment of suspected sapelli wood from Central Africa was seized. Two suspects were arrested, but released after questioning.

The Antwerp public prosecutor’s office, together with the FPS Public Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment, has started an investigation into the import of illegal wood. “A company from Lier came into the picture that allegedly imported suspected sapelli wood from the Central African Republic (CAR),” says Kristof Aerts, spokesperson for the Antwerp public prosecutor’s office.

As part of that investigation, four searches were carried out in Antwerp, Lier and Nijlen on Thursday. Two suspects, a 40-year-old woman and a 56-year-old man, were arrested, but released after questioning.

Illegal deforestation

Sapelli wood comes from the Sapelli tree, which is native to West and Central Africa. The tropical hardwood is known for its rich red-brown color and is very popular among furniture makers because of its easy-to-work structure.

However, due to the popularity and demand for Sapelli wood, it is important to promote sustainable forest management to prevent overexploitation and deforestation. That is why there are strict regulations regarding the felling of these trees. “The wood seized at the company in Lier may not comply with the European Timber Regulation, a European measure to prevent illegal deforestation,” Aerts explains.

The judicial investigation is still ongoing. The investigators investigate where exactly the wood shipment came from and which trees were cut down for it.