Buyers Beware

An investigation by Global Witness found that ten European companies imported approximately €2 million worth of high-risk timber from Industrie Forestière du Congo (IFCO) in 2018. The report alleges that IFCO engaged in illegal logging practices, including operating outside boundaries and failing to pay taxes, while potentially maintaining links to sanctions-listed Hezbollah financiers via its predecessor, Cotrefor.

• Ten companies based in France, Belgium, Portugal, Spain, Italy, and Poland imported over 1,400m3 of high-risk timber from Industrie Forestière du Congo (IFCO) during a five-month period in 2018, with an estimated value of €2 million.
• Investigation into IFCO's logging concession near Baulu in Tshuapa province revealed illegal operations, specifically logging outside designated boundaries and continuing operations while suspended for failing to pay taxes, violating labour laws, and ignoring social agreements with local communities.
• IFCO inherited operations from Cotrefor, a company allegedly controlled by the Tajideen family, who are listed by the US Treasury as financial supporters of Hezbollah.

APA

Global Witness (n.d.). Buyers Beware. https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/forests/buyers-beware/

Chicago

Global Witness. Buyers Beware. n.d. https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/forests/buyers-beware/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Global Witness |title=Buyers Beware |url=https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/forests/buyers-beware/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{globalwitnessndbuyers, author = {{Global Witness}}, title = {{Buyers Beware}}, institution = {Global Witness}, url = {https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/forests/buyers-beware/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }