Organized gangs rustling Panama’s cocobolo

As if common crimes and crimes against State property were not enough, Panama is now facing organized gangs dedicated to the illegal felling of precious wood trees that are in danger of extinction. Crimes against the environment have increased, especially in these pandemic years, on average, one crime per day. Cocobolo wood, a tree that takes decades to fully develop – which is why illegal exploitation has led it almost to its disappearance – is sought after to make luxury items and costs small fortunes on the Chinese black market.

Panama, which suffers from this “rustling” should promote an international policy, together with other countries, to create certification mechanisms, beyond any doubt, of the legal origin of the wood, in order to prevent unscrupulous businessmen from ending up making the species disappear. As with diamonds, the buying and selling of this wood should be more closely monitored and items made from it, of dubious legal origin, should be confiscated, their sale prohibited, and other sanctions discouraged from logging, selling, and illegal purchase. But what the authorities should no longer tolerate is that they destroy our natural resources. – LA PRENSA, Dec. 4.