Illegal Liberian timber worth thousands of Euros was sitting in a French port just weeks before a new EU law prohibiting illegal timber exports came into force, Global Witness said yesterday. Under the EU Timber Regulation, which took effect yesterday, the import of illegal timber is prohibited and could land the importer with up to two years imprisonment or a 50,000 Euro fine.
"The discovery of illegal Liberian timber in Europe just as the new law kicks in underlines the need for European companies to make sure they're complying or face some very heavy penalties," said Alexandra Pardal, Senior Campaigner at Global Witness. "Almost all timber from tropical rainforests carries a high risk of illegality and should be checked out thoroughly – if there's any suspicion at all, don't touch it."
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