Smart Takedown of Forest Poachers — Safeguarding Taiwan’s Green Homeland

Yilan Prosecutor Lin Yung Recognized by the Premier for Outstanding Achievements in Combating Illegal Logging and Environmental Crimes

To publicly commend and encourage law enforcement officers who have made long-term and outstanding contributions in the fields of environmental protection and land conservation, the Taiwan High Prosecutors Office, together with the Environmental Management Administration of the Ministry of Environment, the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency of the Ministry of Agriculture, and the National Police Agency of the Ministry of the Interior, jointly held the “2025 Golden Ring Awards and National Recognition Ceremony for Land and Environmental Crime Enforcement Achievements” on October 29, 2025.
At the ceremony, Premier Cho Jung-tai personally presented the awards. Prosecutor Lin Yung of the Yilan District Prosecutors Office was honored for his exceptional success in dismantling an organized “mountain rat” (illegal logging) syndicate operating along the Lanyang River. His investigation led to the recovery of 143 logs of national cypress and red cypress, weighing over 17 metric tons, and effectively dismantled the criminal network that had long plundered state-owned forests—demonstrating his firm commitment to protecting Taiwan’s natural heritage.

During the investigation of what initially appeared to be a simple driftwood misappropriation case, Prosecutor Lin keenly detected indications of a broader organized illegal logging and trafficking operation. Exercising his core prosecutorial leadership in directing investigations, he integrated inter-agency resources and meticulously planned an enforcement strategy. Working closely with the Yilan County Police Bureau, the Seventh Special Police Corps, and the Yilan Forest District Office, he successfully traced the operation to its financiers and arrested those responsible for the theft and transport of the timber, ultimately bringing down the entire criminal group active in the Lanyang River basin.

Prosecutor Lin’s ability to uncover complex criminal structures from seemingly ordinary cases exemplifies exceptional investigative insight and professional judgment, making him a role model in environmental and land protection enforcement. His recognition by the Premier not only affirms his personal dedication and professionalism but also represents a collective honor for the Yilan District Prosecutors Office in safeguarding Taiwan’s territorial and ecological security.

The Office emphasizes that, in the face of increasingly complex land-related crimes, prosecutors will never back down. The Yilan District Prosecutors Office will continue to strengthen inter-agency collaboration with police, forestry, and environmental authorities to fulfill its dual mission of “prosecuting crimes and restoring green mountains.” This embodies the judiciary’s commitment to “protecting forests and sustaining ecological balance.”

Looking ahead, the Office will continue to refine its mechanisms for land conservation and environmental protection through information sharing, technological evidence collection, and advanced investigative strategies, to uphold the principles of land justice. The public is also urged to join in protecting Taiwan’s forest resources—reporting any illegal logging, timber smuggling, or environmental destruction—to safeguard the island’s precious natural assets and ensure that Taiwan’s green mountains endure for generations to come.