The New Mon State Party (NMSP) has arrested a 50-member illegal logging gang in its controlled area in Ye Township, Mon State on January 12-13, according to the NMSP Central.
A top leader of the NMSP said his organization has seized a bulldozer, elephants, and chainsaws along with over 1,000 tons of logs.
The detained workers from the illegal logging gang told the NMSP that they are from Taungoo area and the Ayeyarwaddy Region and the NMSP is still searching for the gang leader and his group.
The NMSP has banned logging in the area near its headquarters in the east of Ye-Dawei Highway and the eastern forest area of Marn Aung Mountain since 2010.
The National League for Democracy (NLD)-led government has also temporarily banned logging to prevent deforestation due to both legal and illegal logging in Myanmar.
