Seven Illegal Sawmills Identified and Sealed Across Georgia
Employees of the Environmental Supervision Department of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture have identified seven unregistered sawmills as part of ongoing efforts to combat illegal forest use.
The illegal operations were discovered in the regions of Kakheti, Shida Kartli, Imereti, and Samtskhe-Javakheti. The sawmills were sealed in the following locations:
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Kabali (Lagodekhi Municipality)
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Sabero (Akhmeta Municipality)
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Sanebeli (Kareli Municipality)
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Jonia (Tkibuli Municipality)
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Patara Gubi (Khoni Municipality)
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Mzetamze and Chobiskhevi (Borjomi Municipality)
Citizens had installed belt and circular sawmills in their residential yards without the necessary registration or permits.
During inspections, authorities seized illegally harvested timber from the surrounding areas in Akhmeta, Borjomi, and Kareli. The confiscated materials included 46 units of round timber (logs) and over 3 cubic meters of primary processed wood products (planks).
As all seven cases show signs of criminal activity, documentation has been forwarded to the appropriate law enforcement agencies for further investigation and legal response.
The Environmental Supervision Department conducts 24-hour patrols across Georgia to prevent, detect, and address environmental violations such as illegal logging, hunting, and fishing. In addition, every call to the Ministry’s hotline (153) receives an immediate response.
