CHITRAL: The district administration in Chitral has taken three donkeys in custody as part of its operation against the timber mafia active in the Darosh sub-district of the area.

The donkeys were taken into custody during a operation Tuesday, when a team of the district administration and the forest department raided a storm drain where local wood-cutters were transporting timber of the donkeys.

Wood cutters in the area are known to use storm drains to transport illegally chopped woods.

Upon seeing officials, the wood cutters fled into the nearby forest with the donkeys left behind.

Assistant Commissioner Tauseef Ullah said that the donkeys would be presented before a magistrate at a local court.