Tirupati cops bust tri-state red sandalwood smuggling gang, Rs 2 Cr worth logs seized

Tirupati: A nine-member interstate red sandalwood smugglers were arrested by the Tirupati district police and 33 logs worth Rs 2 crore were seized from them.

The persons were from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala, and they were apprehended by the police teams near Yallamanda crossroads.

The accused were identified as M Madurai (59), C Govinda Swamy (49), Jai Ganesh (40), C Annamalai (35), M Ramesh (45), MS Sharafudheen (30), M Sabeek (45), KT Sreeraj (36), and S Babu (36). All the accused have a history of smuggling the red sanders wood in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and other districts.

Speaking to the media, district superintendent of police P Parameswara Reddy said, “On June 23, based on reliable information, a team led by Chandragiri sub division DSP TD Yeswanth intercepted the gang’s vehicle at 4.30 pm. Before the gang could escape, the police caught nine persons smuggling red sanders in five four-wheeler vehicles, and one two-wheeler.”

Modus Operandi

According to the SP, the accused were smuggling red sanders from the Seshachalam forest to Vellore. Two gangs from the three states worked together to make the logs cross the border.

While a two-wheeler and a car were going ahead keeping a watch at the check posts, the other vehicles stayed at a distance until the coast is clear.

Parameswara Reddy further said that to keep a check on red sanders smuggling, they have installed CCTV cameras at the border check posts and additional police teams have also been deployed.