Kadapa: Red Sandalwood worth 20L seized

Hyderabad: The police have been vigilant in Chittoor and Kadapa districts over increased number of red sanders smuggling. Early on Wednesday, the police have carried out surprise checks at various places and arrested few Red Sandalwood smugglers under PD Act, when they were allegedly smuggling red sanders in a mini lorry at Nandaluru Check Post in Kadapa district. They have been rushed to the police station. Red sanders logs worth 20L have been seized in this incident. The police suspect that the red sandalwood logs might have been stolen from the Forest department’s storage.

It is evident that lot of smuggling activities of Red Sandalwood have been taking place in Chittoor and Kadapa districts. Most recently, at Jeevisathram of Maidukur Mandal in Kadapa district, the police have seized Red Sandalwood worth Rs 10L. The logs of Red Sandalwood were allegedly taken in an ambulance. The police seized as many as 24 Red Sandalwood logs in that incident.

Chittoor and Kadapa districts in Andhra Pradesh have turned the care of address for the sanders smuggling. Despite the fact the police and the forest department officials are vigilant, such untoward things have been happening over a period of time.

It is learnt that the smugglers are reportedly supported by the top rank politicians who in turn pressurize the officials also. Nellore and Chittoor districts have become the vital districts for Red Sandalwood smuggling. In the last two months only, many such cases have been revealed.