Investigation of illegal logging or illegal transportation, storage, sale of forest and its expert support
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35774/app2022.01.107Keywords:
illegal logging, illegal transportation, storage, sale of forest, criminal offense, forest crime, investigation of criminal offenses in the forest sphere, forensic economic examination, trasological examinationAbstract
Emphasis is placed on threats to the national security of the country and its components as a result of illegal logging. Researchers' views on the categories related to the investigation of this offense are analyzed. Methods of actions of malefactors at commission of illegal felling or illegal transportation, storage, sale of wood are outlined. Indicators of investigations of criminal offenses in the field of forestry are reflected. The scheme of illegal felling and illegal transportation, storage and sale of the forest made by the organized group is made. Expert support for the investigation of criminal offenses related to illegal logging has been summarized. The author's conclusion on expediency of creation of special divisions of law enforcement bodies on places is formulated.
The conclusion states that large-scale deforestation threatens the national security of the country as a whole and its environmental, economic and social components. Illegal logging is already a serious problem in Ukraine's forestry. In its implementation, falsified documents are often used with the involvement of official loggers and civil servants. Criminal offenses in the forest sector are characterized by complexity in terms of causes and forms. Offenders find many ways to circumvent the law, and a large number of actors are involved in forest crimes. Investigations of criminal offenses related to illegal logging are characterized by high specificity due to their high level of latency and the difficulty of gathering evidence in the case. Therefore, it seems expedient to create special units of law enforcement agencies on the ground (within one or more territorial communities) with proper motivation, logistics, high professional level, in particular for pre-trial investigation in this category of cases, especially in gathering evidence.
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