Officials of the Jigme Dorji National Park in Paro seized two trucks carrying illegal sandalwood on two separate incidents. The first truck carrying around 900 kilograms of sandalwood was apprehended on the night of January 26. The illegal timber had been hidden under cement bags and was to be exported to China.
The second vehicle was caught the next day at around 11 PM. This vehicle had about 920 kilograms sandalwood concealed under bricks which was also to be transported to China.
The offenders will be penalised under new rules. The perpetrators will be fined Nu.50,000 along with a compensation fee of Nu.750 per kilogram. The vehicle owner or the drivers will also be levied the same compensation fee of Nu.750 per kilogram of the illegal timber.
The new rules state that the penalty will be doubled and the vehicle seized for a repeated offense.
