Becanchen, Yucatan — Federal environmental officials continue their battle against illegal logging on the Yucatan Peninsula. Work on another property has been shut down after inspectors verified illegal clearing.
The Federal Attorney General’s Office for Environmental Protection (Profepa) imposed a total temporary closure on a property in the town of Becanchen. The property was closed after inspectors detected the illegal clearing of 18.4 hectares of forest without the corresponding authorization.
As part of their safety measure, heavy machinery, equipment, and illegally obtained timber were also seized as a precautionary measure.
According to Profepa (Procuraduria Federal de Proteccion al Ambiente), the inspection was carried out on April 10 in response to a citizen complaint filed by ejido members from the Becanchén agrarian community.
During the inspection, Profepa personnel verified the complete removal of natural vegetation in an area of approximately 18.4 hectares of semi-deciduous medium-height forest.
Evidence of clearing using heavy machinery was observed at the site, including bare soil, remains of tree trunks, branches, and roots, as well as signs of skidding, leveling, and compaction of the terrain.
These actions resulted in the loss of vegetation cover, fragmentation of the ecosystem, and disruption of the environmental services provided by this area.
Additionally, 92 pieces of roundwood of various tropical species were found stockpiled, showing signs of having been recently harvested.
According to the person who attended the inspection, the activities began on April 7, 2026.
“At the time of the inspection, no authorization issued by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) was presented, an essential requirement to make changes of land use in forest lands, so the activities were considered illegal,” Profepa said in an April 20 statement.
“As a result of the above, Profepa proceeded with the total temporary closure of the property and the precautionary seizure of four bulldozers, a trailer, two power plants and the 92 pieces of wood as a measure to stop the environmental damage and prevent the continuation of the activities.”
The Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa) will initiate the corresponding administrative procedures to determine responsibilities and applicable sanctions.
This latest closure is part of Mexican government’s ongoing battle to stop illegal deforestation across the Yucatan Peninsula.
In late January, a company was fined for destroying over 13 hectares of jungle, also in the state of Yucatan. The same company was shut down again in mid-February and fined for continued illegal logging.
In March, Profepa, the Agrarian Attorney’s Office, and the National Agrarian Registry signed an agreement to curb deforestation across the Yucatan Peninsula. The agreement seeks to prevent the illegal change of use of forest land and other activities that affect ecosystems.
