In a significant crackdown on environmental violations, four individuals have been formally charged with illegal logging activities near Doubloon Lagoon in the Orange Walk District. The incident, which unfolded on November 5, 2025, was brought to light by the Corozal Sustainable Future Initiative (CSFI) enforcement team. The team intercepted the group as they were unloading logwood posts from a red tractor into a white GMC truck. Notably, the men were unable to produce any valid permits or licenses authorizing the extraction or transportation of the wood.
Authorities swiftly seized the vehicles involved, along with a chainsaw, a tractor battery, and approximately 100 logwood posts as evidence. The accused, identified as Martin Rosado, Diego Santos, Chad Vargas, and Aldair Correa, have been charged under Section 19 of the Forest Act for the unlawful possession of forest produce.
This case follows closely on the heels of another illegal logging incident reported on November 2, 2025, where rangers from the Wildlife Conservation Society detained four individuals from Cotton Tree Village. The Forest Department has issued a stern reminder to the public about the legal ramifications of unauthorized logging. ‘Harvesting, transporting, or possessing forest produce without the necessary permits is a criminal offence,’ the department stated, urging citizens to report any suspicious activities to safeguard Belize’s precious forests.