Two persons have been arrested by a joint team of Police and Forestry Commission rangers over illegal lumbering of economic trees in the Atiwa Forest Reserve.

The patrol team of the Forestry Commission detected the two suspects smuggling the harvested beams from the forest.

Wireless message was sent to the Officer in Charge of the Anyinam Range of the Atiwa Forest Reserve under Forestry Commission of Ghana, Palma Aikens Amponsah who swiftly reported to the Anyinam Police Command.

Armed police officers were deployed to the scene to assist in the arrest of the suspects.

The suspects led the team to the scene where it was detected that 12 cider era trees have been harvested.

Meanwhile, 34 beams have also been confiscated by the operations team.
Illegal logging activities is on the rise in recent times following the crackdown on illegal gold mining.

It is believed that the illegal miners have diversified into illegal logging.
Several suspects arrested for engaging in both illegal mining and illegal logging are facing trial in Circuit Courts in Koforidua.

Top among these suspects is a 29 member gang of foreign nationals arrested for unlawfully mining in the Atiwa Forest Reserve.

The Eastern Regional Manager of the Forestry Commission of Ghana, Mr. Attah Owusu said 30% of the 48 forest reserves in the region have been lost mainly through illegal mining and illegal chain sawing.