Director of Crn Bor branch and employee from Babuna detained; 400 m³ of firewood seized

The deputy director of the Public Enterprise National Forests, Kire Mihailov, announced that several employees and a branch director were detained in recent days as part of investigations into suspected illegal handling of timber.

According to Mihailov, those detained include the director of the Crn Bor branch in Prilep and an employee of the Babuna branch in Veles. Police previously said that on October 7 three people were detained in the village of Teovo, among them an employee of National Forests, and that timber and other items connected to the case were seized.

Criminal charges and wider probes

In a separate matter, a criminal complaint was filed against an employee of the Sveti Nikole branch and against a legal entity; the damage in that case is, according to Mihailov's information, estimated at more than €50,000.

Parallel to the detentions, authorities also carried out operations to seize vehicles and firewood. From a legal entity in the Skopje region, about 400 cubic metres of firewood were taken – with an estimated value of around two million denars, or over €30,000. The action followed a ten-day investigation and was coordinated with the public prosecutor's office, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Forest Police.

Commenting on the findings, Mihailov wrote: "From what we have so far as information, this is a well-organized group which most likely for a long time carried out illegal activities around the transport and sale of wood."

Authorities say the indications point to a broader network with activity that may have extended from Skopska Crna Gora and Kitka to areas around Gostivar and Veles. Investigators are also checking whether individuals from state institutions were involved.

Photo: press material from the event