Forest officers in Imereti uncovered an illegal logging and timber transport case in Chiatura during routine patrols on state-owned forest land in the Chiatura area.
The National Forestry Agency reported that the offender had illegally harvested up to 3 cubic meters of protected chestnut (Castanea) wood, a species included on Georgia’s Red List. The timber was being transported using a vehicle that had no state license plates, further violating regulations. The wood was moved without authorization from state forest territory.
Because the case shows signs of a criminal offense, the Forestry Agency has forwarded all materials to the relevant investigative authority for further action.
Inspectors sealed the vehicle, confiscated the illegal timber and transferred it to the official Forestry Yard in Chiatura for storage and future redistribution. The seized wood is currently held at Chiatura’s operational storage yard for further management by the agency.
Agency Head Kakha Tsertsvadze said that combating illegal use of natural resources remains a priority. He emphasized that forestry teams patrol regularly and conduct continuous monitoring using video surveillance traps and drones, supported by drone-based oversight to prevent, detect and suppress violations. He added that strict legal sanctions are applied to all offenses involving illegal logging.
