Spurt in red sanders logs smuggling

Tirupati: After a lull, there is a spurt in red sanders logs smuggling with 8 cases five in Chittoor district and three outside the district reported, in the last ten days.

Red Sanders Anti-Smuggling Task Force (RSASTF) detected four cases and one by Yerravaripalem police in Chittoor district where a total of 75 red sanders logs including high value 6 ‘Tabala’ logs were seized while 31 red sanders operatives from Tamil Nadu were nabbed.

Besides, the RSASTF acting on a tip off arrested 15 smugglers gathered in Tirumala under the guise of pilgrims, including two locals and the rest from Tamil Nadu pre-empting their plan to enter Seshachalam forest for red sanders smuggling, on April 29. They were later let off on personal bond of one lakh rupees each and counselling.

The detaining of the two locals identified as Ayyappan and Munaswamy indicates that the smugglers were still able to lure the locals to provide them the much needed logistical support for their illegal activity, despite the best efforts being made by RSASTF and police to wean them (locals) away from smuggling.

On May 2, Yerravaripalem police based on credible information launched a search operation in Pakiruvani kunta area leading to the arrest of 30 smugglers from Tamil Nadu and seizing 34 red sanders logs worth Rs 50 lakh, when the smugglers were loading them in a truck.

Sankar, a smuggler from Javvadumalai area in Tamil Nadu was arrested in Yerragutta foest area near Srivarimettu while many smugglers managed to escape leaving behind 27 red sanders logs that were recovered later by RSASTF on May 3.

After a gap of three days, RSASTF team recovered 8 logs in Tekumanu forest area which was left behind by a group of smugglers who managed to escape on May 6.

Again, RSASTF during a night search operation detected 6 high value ‘Tabla’ red sanders logs from Nelabavi area on Narasingapuram road in Chandragiri mandal, in the early hours of May 8.

This apart, a major haul of 1.2 tonne red sanders logs worth Rs 1.5 crore along with two cars, a lorry and cash Rs 12,000 was seized after arresting a Chennai based international red sanders smuggler Giribabu and two of his associates in Kadapa district on May 7 and 20 tonnes of red sanders logs hidden in containers was detected by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) sleuths in a private port in Kattuppalli in Tiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu on May 9 indicate the sudden surge in red sanders smuggling, though over all, red sanders smuggling came down drastically particularly in Chittoor district.

Giribabu, who was wanted in several cases of red sanders smuggling at various police stations in Kadapa district was responsible for smuggling of a 700 tonnes of red sanders logs from the forests in Kadapa district. On May 8, Kadapa police arrested 17 smugglers from Tamil Nadu and recovered a half tonne reds sanders logs from them.

Sources said that, seizing of small number of logs ranging from 5 to 10 in Chittoor district indicate clearly the reduction in the number of smugglers coming from Tamil Nadu for smuggling red sanders from Seshachlam forest, due to intense almost round the clock combing that also forced the smugglers shift their operation to Kadapa district.

A task force officer here on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to speak to media attributed the sudden surge in red sanders smuggling to general election next year. Normally, the vigilance will be stepped up well before the election in 2019 that make smuggling very difficult with more check posts coming up all over the district to prevent flow of illegal cash and liquor into the district.

Besides, there is likelihood of some politicians intend to contest the election also resorting to smuggling to make quick money to meet election expenses, was the reason behind the spurt in red sanders smuggling.

By G Sridhar