Pemba police stopped a ship from sailing with 161 20-foot containers full of the unprocessed logs which cannot legally be exported. Noticias reports that the timber belongs to five companies owned by Chinese citizens ñ Mofid (89 containers), Tienhe (30), Pacif (20), Sinlan (15) and Alphaben (7). Mofid has had illegal log exports stopped twice before, in 2004 and 2007. The illegal export appears to have been allowed by agriculture and customs officials and the port operator, state railway company CFM, and only stopped by local police, which inevitably raises questions about possible corruption.
5 hours ago
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