Andhra man held in LB Nagar for smuggling elephant tusks worth Rs 3 Cr

Hyderabad: A man was arrested in LB Nagar while trying to sell two elephant tusks, weighing 5.62 kg and estimated to be worth Rs 3 crore in the international market. In a joint operation, the Special Operations Team (SOT) of LB Nagar Zone and forest officials from Hayathnagar apprehended the man for illegal trade of elephant ivory.

Disclosing the case details before the media persons here on Wednesday, Rachakonda Commissioner of Police G Sudheer Babu said that the arrested individual has been identified as Rekulakunta Prasad (32), a native of Rayachoti in Andhra Pradesh.

A driver by profession, Prasad has a prior criminal record, including involvement in red sanders smuggling. He was previously arrested by the Red Sanders Anti-Smuggling Task Force (RSASTF), Tirupati, and lodged in a sub-jail earlier this year.

Plan hatched in jail

During his earlier incarceration, Prasad befriended Lokeshwar Reddy, another accused in a red sanders smuggling case. After their release, the duo conspired to smuggle and sell elephant tusks for illegal profits.

Elaborating further, the CP said that Reddy sourced the tusks from Yanadi tribals in the Seshachalam forest area of Tirupati and coordinated with Prasad to sell them in Hyderabad.

On Wednesday, both suspects arrived in the city on a private travel bus carrying the contraband. Based on a tip-off, the SOT and forest officials conducted a raid near LB Nagar and apprehended Prasad. His associate, Lokeshwar Reddy, managed to escape and is currently absconding.

Efforts are underway to trace and apprehend the second accused. Authorities are also verifying the full criminal background of Prasad, Sudheer Babu said.