Tirupati: Red sanders logs worth Rs 41L seized, 4 smugglers held

Tirupati: Bhakarapeta police on Wednesday seized 42 red sanders logs worth Rs 41 lakh from a truck and arrested four smugglers from Tamil Nadu on NH 71 in Bhakarapet ghats.

Acting on a tip-off, police team led by Bakarapet CI Tulasiram, SI Prakash Kumar and Venkateswarlu conducted vehicle checking drive on Bhakarapet ghat road and intercepted a vehicle carrying red sanders worth Rs 41 lakh and arrested 4 smugglers from Tamil Nadu.

Briefing newsmen here at district police office, Tirupati SP Parameswar Reddy said that the arrested were identified as J Rajkumar,29 of Vellore, who is the accused no 1 and already 4 cases were pending against him, R Bharat,35, A2, two cases pending against him, C Gokula Maran, 30 and A Saravanan,39, the three from Tiruvannamalai district and added that PD Act will be invoked against them to prolong their detention.

Two more accused Sekhar of Chennai, who is the kingpin of smuggling gang and Ramesh of Tiruvannamalai, the main operator behind cutting the red sanders in Seshachalam forest and bringing them outside the forest for illegally transporting them to Chennai or Bengaluru for the sale in the international market, were at large.

The four were smuggling the red sanders to Chennai to sell them to international smugglers who in turn sell the red sanders in the international market, SP said adding that preliminary investigation revealed that the smugglers now changed their route to avoid police.

They are now carrying the red sanders logs through Pakala, Penmur and to Chennai instead of Bhakarapeta-Chinnagottikallu to Chennai or Kodur to Chennai as police intensified the vigil in the two routes.

He lauded Bhkarapet police for their efforts in arresting the smugglers and seizure of red sanders logs and gave appreciation letters.

Bhakarapeta police on Wednesday seized 42 red sanders logs worth Rs 41 lakh from a truck and arrested four smugglers from Tamil Nadu on NH 71 in Bhakarapet ghats.

Acting on a tip-off, police team led by Bakarapet CI Tulasiram, SI Prakash Kumar and Venkateswarlu conducted vehicle checking drive on Bhakarapet ghat road and intercepted a vehicle carrying red sanders worth Rs 41 lakh and arrested 4 smugglers from Tamil Nadu.

Briefing newsmen here at district police office, Tirupati SP Parameswar Reddy said that the arrested were identified as J Rajkumar,29 of Vellore, who is the accused no 1 and already 4 cases were pending against him, R Bharat,35, A2, two cases pending against him, C Gokula Maran, 30 and A Saravanan,39, the three from Tiruvannamalai district and added that PD Act will be invoked against them to prolong their detention.

Two more accused Sekhar of Chennai, who is the

kingpin of smuggling gang and Ramesh of Tiruvannamalai, the main operator behind cutting the red sanders in Seshachalam forest and bringing them outside the forest for illegally transporting them to Chennai

or Bengaluru for the sale

in the international market, were at large.

The four were smuggling the red sanders to Chennai to sell them to international smugglers who in turn sell the red sanders in the international market, SP said adding that preliminary investigation revealed that the smugglers now changed their route to avoid police.

They are now carrying the red sanders logs through Pakala, Penmur and to Chennai instead of Bhakarapeta-Chinnagottikallu to Chennai or Kodur to Chennai as police intensified the vigil in the two routes.

He lauded Bhkarapet police for their efforts in arresting the smugglers and seizure of red sanders logs and gave appreciation letters.