Singapore must act on illegal timber

SINGAPORE, Oct. 7 (UPI) -- The environmental group Greenpeace says Singapore remains a major hub for global trade in illegal timber, The Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported.

Greenpeace spokesman Tim Birch said countries such as Singapore and Malaysia would determine the future of timber species, as well as plants, animals and communities that live in and depend on forests. He added there was new evidence of the criminal smuggling of endangered hardwood from Indonesia into Singapore and Malaysia.

Greenpeace maintains Singapore should set up a dedicated law enforcement unit to crack down on the problem. The organization released photos of boats laden with endangered ramin timber from Sumatra, bound for Singapore and Malaysia.