More than 13,000 trees, over 200 hectares of destroyed forest, and damages to the state exceeding UAH 731 million — prosecutors of the Specialized Environmental Prosecutor's Office of Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast have sent to court a case concerning large-scale illegal logging on the territory of the Hutsulshchyna National Nature Park. This was reported by the Office of the Prosecutor General, writes UNN.
The scheme was organized by a former forestry official who served as the head of the relevant department. He involved three other officials in the illegal activity: the head of the enterprise's liquidation commission, the acting director, and a forest use engineer. Under the guise of forest formation and health improvement, they carried out illegal logging within the nature reserve fund, issuing logging permits without approved limits and necessary permits. Employees of several forestries were also involved in the scheme, who were convinced of the legality of such actions.
Between March and December 2022, approximately 50 illegal logging permits were issued, based on which over 13.5 thousand trees were cut down.
Four former forestry workers are accused of exceeding official powers and illegal logging, committed by a group of persons in prior conspiracy. The organizer is additionally accused of organizing these crimes. The sanctions of the articles provide for up to 10 years of imprisonment.
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