Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Q.R. — Over 1,000 m³ of illegally obtained wood was seized by federal environmental officials in Quintana Roo. The seizure was made at a sawmill in the municipality of Felipe Carrillo Puerto in late September.
The seizure was made during a nationwide spot inspection that included over 700 federal officials visiting 71 sawmills across the country. The Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa) carried out a simultaneous inspection operation in all 32 states.
The inspections took place between September 25 and 26, targeting Forest Raw Material Storage and Processing Centers (CAT). The joint effort led to the inspection of 71 facilities, resulting in 26 closures and the seizure of 3,793.30 m³ of wood, 175 kilos of charcoal, 47 sawmill tools and equipment, as well as nine vehicles, in addition to the confiscation of 23 tons of coal.
A total of 702 members of Profepa, the Ministry of National Defense (Sedena), National Guard, the Ministry of the Navy (Semar), the Attorney General of the Republic (FGR), state and municipal police, and municipal ecology authorities participated in the two-day inspections.
During inspections in Quintana Roo, federal officials located illegal lumber in Felipe Carrillo Puerto. “In the municipality of Felipe Carrillo Puerto, 1,002 m³ of sawn wood of the chicozapote species (Manilkara zapota) was visited at a sawmill where the legal origin was not accredited so it was seized,” Profpea said in a statement.
In the states of Aguascalientes, Baja California, Coahuila, Colima, Guanajuato, Tlaxcala, Yucatán, and Zacatecas, no irregularities were detected in the CATs.
With these actions, Profepa reaffirms its commitment to protecting the country’s forest resources, ensuring that their use is carried out within the law. These national operations strengthen coordination with all levels of government and send a clear message: Profepa will maintain constant vigilance to combat illegal logging, preserve forest ecosystems, and ensure a sustainable future for Mexico’s communities and environment.
“Protecting forests is a priority for the environmental sector. To accomplish this, we will continue to carry out coordinated operations with state and federal institutions. We want to make it clear that impunity for those who destroy our forests is over,” said Mariana Boy Tamborrell, federal environmental protection attorney.
