Three weeks ago, we told you about a truckload of illegally extracted Rosewood that had been intercepted by the Forestry Department in Toledo.
The driver of the truck with seven thousand plus feet of illegally cut rosewood was Giovanni Vega and he was charged with illegal possession of Forest Produce.
But rather than prosecute, the Forestry Department has settled with him. Chief Forest Officer Wilbur Sabido has confirmed that Vega settled the matter by paying three times the royalty value, which is $12,398.00.
He said that is a fine the Department "can charge to settle the matter." And once payment is made, the material is quote "returned for entry into market" by Vega. That is hardly an assurance to Southern Conservation groups. They say there is serious, sustained illegal rosewood logging in the south, particularly along the Barranco Road.
Rosewood is an exotic hardwood that only grows in limited quantities in Southern Belize.
