FORENSIC CHARACTERIZATION OF ILLEGAL LOGGING OR ILLEGAL TRANSPORTATION, STORAGE, AND SALE OF FORESTS COMMITTED UNDER EMERGENCY LEGAL REGIMES (A SEPARATE ASPECT)

Abstract

Illegal logging is a problem that causes significant damage to the environment, economy and society. It contributes to environmental degradation, loss of biodiversity, climate change, and human rights violations. In turn, the effectiveness of the pre-trial investigation of the crimes in question directly depends on the quality of the development of a forensic char- acterization, which is a structural element of the forensic methodology for investigating any crime. With this in mind, the article analyzes the forensic characterization (its individual elements) of illegal logging or illegal transportation, storage, and sale of forests committed under the conditions of emergency legal regimes and the impact of the latter on its formation.Thus, the study found that trees and shrubs (as an object of encroachment) during the period of emergency legal re- gimes, along with other known positive functions, acquire special strategic importance – as a natural shelter, buffer zone, and a source of wood for military needs (shelters, dugouts, defensive structures, etc.), which may affect the motivation for committing the crimes in question and affects other elements of forensic characteristics.In addition, the list of methods of committing the crime is supplemented by: a) in terms of committing – blowing up trees with explosives and then cutting or sawing them, although the latter has technological risks, as fragments stuck in the tree from explosives can damage (or even disable) the sawing tool; b) in terms of concealment – illegal felling can be carried out under the guise of defense or humanitarian needs; rapid removal of wood is mainly due to the risk of shelling.