In Mulanje, law enforcement authorities have taken into custody 16 individuals over accusations of encroaching upon the forest owned by Chitakale Plantation Company.
Deputy Commissioner of Police responsible for the South East Division, Stain Chaima, has reported that residents from nearby villages have allegedly caused damage to approximately 64 hectares of pine trees and 20 hectares of bluegum trees.
Ajith Hewage, Operations Manager at Chitakale Plantations, has estimated the value of the compromised trees to exceed K500 million.
Recent police findings indicate that the arrestees were apprehended during an evening operation. Logs of trees and timber, suspected to have been illicitly harvested from the plantation, were confiscated during the raid.