Global Markets
Home›Global Markets›Trade & Tariffs›Indonesia arrests 72 suspects linked to forest and pea…
Indonesia arrests 72 suspects linked to forest and peat fires
Authorities said investigators are tracing financial records to determine whether companies financed or ordered land clearing, which could widen the probe.
Indonesian authorities have arrested 72 people suspected of starting forest and peatland fires that have produced choking haze across parts of the country, with smoke affecting neighboring areas as well, according to information from Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency reported by SCMP Economy, citing the associated press.
The arrests stem from suspected involvement in dozens of fire cases, with investigators tying the suspects to 89 forest and land fire cases across five provinces on Borneo and four on Sumatra, Indonesia’s National Police Criminal Investigation Agency director of special crimes Mohammad Irhamni said, according to SCMP Economy.
The fires are described as a recurring issue in Indonesia, often linked to land clearing practices, including cases where plantation owners and traditional farmers are accused of setting fires to prepare land for farming.
Investigators are still reviewing financial records to determine whether companies financed or ordered the land clearing, signaling the investigation could extend beyond the people currently in custody, SCMP Economy reported.