NKURENKURU – The police in Kavango West have, since the start of August, confiscated about 400 planks that were smuggled from Angola.
There is currently a moratorium on harvesting and transportation of timber.
The 400 planks were smuggled into the country through illegal entry points along the Okavango River. “No timber is allowed to pass through the legal crossing point, such as the Katwitwi border post. We have come across many incidents of timber being brought in the country without permits and through illegal entry points,’’ said the Kavango West police regional commander, Commissioner Julia Sakuwa-Neo.
She was addressing a media briefing last week, where she said timber confiscated up to July this yeart had already been auctioned by the ministry of works.
The commander strongly warned criminals and like-minded people who perceive Nkurenkuru as a small town or Kavango West as a sleepy region where they can commit crimes as they please with impunity, that they will be in for a rude awakening.
“We are committed to ensuring that crime in the region is reduced, if not eliminated. Our efforts have paid off through the recovery of most stolen items, where cases of housebreaking and theft from business premises and residential places, illegal harvesting and possession of timber, theft of cellphones, and robberies were registered during the months of May and August 2024,’’ she noted.
Sakuwa-Neo said Kavango West region has been perturbed by several criminal syndicates who mostly migrate here to commit crimes, and return to their regions.
“Our efforts have been successful after we became aware of the patterns of the crimes. We will arrest all the people who come here to commit crime. The region is committed to the slogan ‘Boots on the Ground’ day and night,’’ she said.
In August alone, close to 400 timber planks were intercepted and confiscated by the police after it was established that no permits were granted.
“This was done during police operations conducted over a week. Two-hundred planks were confiscated on 19 August 2024 between 00h40 and 02h00 at a house in the Katwitwi vicinity, while 170 planks were also confiscated the same week during the weekend at Katwitwi area of Kavango West region, while transported by a vehicle to an unknown destination,’’ she said.
The regional commander said the suspects in both instances did not have permits or authorisation to harvest the timber from the line ministries in Namibia.
“Thanks to the community, which always assists and cooperates with us in that regard. The planks were handed over to the Ministry of Environment and Forestry for further handling,’’ she said.
Sakuwa-Neo said in May this year, a case of theft from Kambinda’s garage in Nkurenkuru, where the suspects stole one gearbox, two front lights of a truck, and one crank shaft, all valued at N$45 000, was reported to the police.
“In July, the same suspects went back to the same garage, and stole a gearbox for a truck and a tyre, all valued at N$35 000. Three suspects were arrested, and we recovered all the stolen items in Rundu. They were charged with theft, and are currently being kept in police custody after they were denied bail,’’ she added.