"Right now, we have five special teams to investigate the cases of land and forest fires. These teams will continue to assist district police stations in conducting investigation," Chief of the Riau Provincial Police, Brigadier General Dolly Bambang Hermawan, said here on Friday.
It takes a long time and a lengthy procedure to investigate land fires in the concessions of timber estate and oil palm plantation companies, he said.
Citing an example, he said before the police could name PT Langgam Inti Hibrindo and PT Palm Lestari Makmur as suspects in land and forest fires, investigators must question several expert witnesses.
"There are corporate, environmental and plantation experts. We must find them in Jakarta, Bogor and Medan. Their number is very limited while at the same time, six provincial police stations are also handling the same cases," he said.
Dolly said to accelerate investigations into companies allegedly involved in land and forest fires, the Riau provincial police have set up five special teams which are focusing on law enforcement.
"The teams will cooperate with the district police units," he said.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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