A Bill to make it an offence for any importer or distributor to sell or distribute in the United Kingdom any wood harvested, manufactured or otherwise dealt with illegally in the country from which the wood originated or through which it passed or was transhipped; and for connected purposes
The Bill would make it illegal to sell, knowingly or not, timber that had been:<br><br><ul><li>obtained illegally in any way in the country of origin </li></ul><ul><li>exported illegally from its country of origin</li></ul><ul><li>imported illegally into any country. </li></ul><br>It also would make it an offence to falsify records with regard to the harvesting, importing or exporting of timber. <br><br>The maximum penalties included in the Bill are up to five years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to £50,000.