The environmental police protection unit on the weekend impounded over 5,000 bags of charcoal from Amuru district.
The charcoal bags were impounded Saturday evening from the Sub Counties of Pabbo, Lamogi and Apaa Township.
The charcoal is parked at the National Forestry Authority (NFA) office in Gulu City.
Xavier Sekanabo the Commander Environmental Police Protection Unit said that they swung into action on Friday evening and Saturday following a tip-off from concerned people about the illegal charcoal business.
The police also impounded six trucks and sixteen motorcycles that were found transporting the forest produce. They have also been parked at NFA offices in Gulu City.
Sekanabo says that the owners of the vehicles were not in possession of documents authorizing them to deal in or transport forest products while some of them had forged documents.
The impounded vehicles include trailer trucks registration number UAX 660 S, UAT 981 J, UAS 489 G, UBE 057 H, SSD 995 H: Canter Trucks UAJ 080 N and UBH 708 S.
The police says the charcoal will be auctioned in accordance with the Public Procurement and Disposal Act while owners of the impounded motorcycle and vehicles will be fined before they are released.
Gracious Aguti, the Forest Supervisor in Amuru said that the level of forest destruction in the district is alarming.
Ivan Serugo whose truck registration number UBE 057 H was impounded accused police of illegally impounding his truck and charcoal noting that he paid one million and two hundred thousand shillings to the Amuru district local government to transport his charcoal from Amuru Sub County to Kampala.
