Two individuals were arrested in the Makira protected area during an operation conducted by the Directorate of the Audit Unit and Anti-Corruption (DUALC) and the Directorate of Forest Control and Anti-Trafficking (DCFLT) of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MEDD). The two men, reportedly of Chinese origin, are suspected of participating in the extraction of precious stones within this protected area. The intervention was carried out with the collaboration of local authorities and residents. Their arrest highlights the persistence of clandestine mining activities in spaces that are supposed to be under special protection.

Corruption
Following their arrest, the two suspects were presented to the Anti-Corruption Unit (PAC). They are being prosecuted for forgery and use of forged documents, as well as corruption offences. They were placed in provisional detention at Tsiafahy central prison following their interrogation. The case therefore extends beyond a simple operation against clandestine operators. The presence of corruption-related offences suggests the existence of mechanisms allowing certain illegal activities to persist, despite the protected status of the area. For the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, the fight against corruption is thus an inseparable component of natural resource protection. The ministry recalls that the exploitation of natural resources is prohibited in protected areas and calls on the public to report any suspicious activity to the green number 955.