The Mullaitivu police department has accelerated measures to crack down on illegal timber smuggling in areas across Mullaitivu, following the attack of the Tamil Guardian correspondents last month. 

The correspondents, Shanmugam Thavaseelan and Kanapathipillai Kumanan, were attacked by illegal timber smugglers whilst they were working on a story exposing illegal deforestation in Mullaitivu. They had their recordings of deforestation wiped and had around 50,000 Sri Lankan rupees stolen from them.

Since the attack, a lorry driver who was attempting to smuggle logs in Mankulam, Mullaitivu was arrested last week on Thursday October 22^nd.  The lorry driver had a large number of tree logs seized. Mankulam Police also arrested individuals who were loading 600,000 rupees worth of logs into a lorry, to smuggle from the Paalaipaani area of Mankulam to Jaffna.

Earlier last month on Saturday October 17^th, in an area near Iranaimadu bank, Mankulam police recovered 31 logs that were cut down and ready to be smuggled, following a complaint that forest trees were being cut down illegally. Police seized 400,000 rupees worth of logs were and recovered it to the Mankulam police station.

Although the illegal timber smugglers managed to escape, Mankulam police state they have taken the necessary steps to present the suspects before court.

The impact of illegal deforestation is an ongoing pressing issue that has been particularly devastating to both environment and to the livelihoods of the people in the North-East. The multiple incidents is one that warrants further immediate investigation.