Customs uncover twenty cases of illegal timber imports
Belgian customs have identified 20 cases of illegal timber imports so far this year. This was announced on Wednesday in Vildoorde. In recent years, the average violation rate has been around four per cent of total inspections.
Federal finance minister Jan Jambon (N-VA) and minister of climate and sustainable development Jean-Luc Crucke (Les Engagés) were given a tour of the customs laboratory in Vilvoorde on Wednesday, where timber is meticulously analysed to determine whether it comes from protected species.
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Inspection flucuations
In 2023, customs carried out around 300 inspections, uncovering 28 violations. The following year saw 600 inspections and 18 violations. In 2025, 584 shipments were checked, with 20 violations detected. A single shipment can contain multiple illegally harvested species.
Most of the timber originates from India, the United Arab Emirates and Cameroon. It enters Belgium both as raw logs and processed items. This year, customs seized incense holders, coffee tables, bowls and boxes made wholly or partly from illegal wood, as well as four large carved elephants, each weighing several hundred kilos.
How customs detect illegal timber
Risk analysis determines which containers are inspected. Some products are scanned, while in other cases, experts can spot infringements with the naked eye. Where necessary, samples are sent to Vilvoorde for detailed microscopic analysis to identify the exact species.
“Determining the origin of the wood is not easy,” said Kristian Vanderwaeren, the general administrator of customs and excise (FPS Finance). “The regulations are also extremely complex: sometimes a certain type of wood may be sold in one form, but not in another.”
While customs acknowledges it cannot intercept every illegal shipment, inspections have increased. “We have made and continue to make investments in intercepting illegal timber,” Vanderwaeren added. “We do what we can with the resources we have, but they remain limited.”
Protecting the planet
“Rainforests are the lungs of the world,” remarked Jambon. “They are a key element in reducing global CO2 emissions, but we know they are threatened by logging. That is why protecting forests is crucial, and we are committed to monitoring the import of illegal timber.”
Minister Crucke also underlined the wider stakes: “By protecting biodiversity, we protect ourselves and our health, the climate, our economy and the future of our children.”
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