Four residents of Cotton Tree Village in Belize have been formally charged for the illegal possession of forest produce following the discovery of an unauthorized logging site in the Maya Forest Corridor. The Belize Forest Department revealed that the operation was uncovered on Sunday by rangers from the Wildlife Conservation Society. The site contained significant quantities of mahogany and salmwood lumber, with the individuals found in possession of approximately 112 pieces of mahogany and 85 pieces of salmwood without valid permits. The accused have been identified as Noemi Perez, 44, Wedlyn Maas, 21, Melvin Jesus Maas, 23, and Everardo Maas, 48. Authorities seized two vehicles loaded with the illegal lumber and charged the individuals under Section 19 of the Forest Act for ‘Unlawful Possession of Forest Produce.’ A subsequent operation recovered an additional 30 pieces of mahogany from the surrounding forested area. The Forest Department has called on the public to assist in safeguarding Belize’s forests by reporting suspicious activities to their hotline at 610-1524.