Kadapa: 27 woodcutters held 47 red sanders logs worth 1.5 crore recovered

Kadapa: Forest officials arrested 27 woodcutters and recovered 47 red sanders logs worth Rs 1.50 crore and five vehicles from them at Nagasanipalle village of Khajipet mandal in the early hours on Monday.

All accused hailed from Velluru, Kalvakurthy and Villupuram districts of Tamil Nadu State.

Addressing a press conference, Proddaturu Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) M Guru Prabhakar said that following credible information over illegal transportation of red sanders, about 20 forest staff kept watch in Nagasanipalle forest area and they noticed 27 woodcutters loading logs in the vehicles parked behind the bushes. Thus the forest officials caught them red-handed while they were about to illegally transport the red sanders logs.

In order to divert the attention of forest officials, the woodcutters concealed the red sanders logs under tomato crates and in a separate chamber made of iron sheet, the DFO said.

He said there was involvement of an international smuggler called Abbas and three others belonging to Proddaturu town in the smuggling and they would be nabbed very soon.