26 Apr 2005

Man accused of masterminding illegal logging in Indonesian province of Papua is arrested

7:29 am on 26 April 2005

Indonesian police have arrested a Malaysian man suspected of being behind illegal logging operations in Indonesian province of Papua.

The 54-year-old was detained over the weekend while trying to cross into Malaysia's Sarawak state from Indonesia's West Kalimantan province on the island of Borneo.

Police spokesman Suharto says the man is suspected of masterminding the smuggling of illegally logged timber from Papua to Malaysia.

Indonesia's anti-logging taskforce has already arrested 11 foreigners -- 10 Malaysians and one South Korean -- for suspected illegal logging activities in Papua.