{"id":18729,"date":"2026-11-12T11:45:00","date_gmt":"2026-11-12T16:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/?p=18729"},"modified":"2026-11-11T13:28:17","modified_gmt":"2026-11-11T18:28:17","slug":"illegal-almond-wood-seized-in-bocas-del-toro-crackdown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/environment-wildlife\/illegal-almond-wood-seized-in-bocas-del-toro-crackdown\/","title":{"rendered":"Illegal Almond Wood Seized in Bocas del Toro Crackdown"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Panamanian authorities confiscated 178 pieces of illegal almond wood<\/a> in Bocas del Toro<\/a> province on November 10, 2026, after discovering the timber abandoned roadside near the community of La Gloria. The Ministry of Environment<\/a> (MiAMBIENTE) found the sawn lumber during a routine enforcement operation<\/a>, with none of the pieces bearing the required marks, numbering, or documentation proving legal origin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Technicians measured the seized load at approximately 3.60 cubic meters. The wood showed no forest harvesting or transport permits, which are mandatory for establishing legality under Panamanian law. Officials have opened an investigation to trace the timber’s source and identify those responsible for what they described as a likely violation of national forestry regulations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The
The confiscated lumber comes from mountain almond trees, known scientifically as Dipteryx oleifera and Dipteryx panamensis. Panama prohibits the harvesting of this species entirely.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Protected Species Under CITES Regulation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The confiscated lumber comes from mountain almond trees, known scientifically as Dipteryx oleifera and Dipteryx panamensis. Panama prohibits the harvesting of this species entirely. National legislation does not allow permits for its felling or extraction, whether for commercial or private use, according to MiAMBIENTE.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The species also appears in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). This international framework regulates commerce in the species to prevent it from becoming endangered. The dual protection under both domestic law and international treaty underscores the severity of the suspected violation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decomisan 178 piezas de madera de almendro ilegal en Bocas del Toro https:\/\/t.co\/OjAU6fOySQ<\/p>— Metro Libre (@MetroLibrePTY) November 11, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote>\n