450 kg of red sanders seized in Vellore; six persons held
Forest Department officials in Vellore seized 450 kg of red sanders and arrested six individuals involved in smuggling the protected timber. The suspects were apprehended during a vehicle check near the Tamil Nadu-Andhra Pradesh border.
Why it matters
The seizure highlights the ongoing efforts to combat the illegal trade of protected natural resources in India.
The Forest Department has seized around 450 kg of red sanders worth around ₹20 lakh from a gang of six smugglers during a vehicle check at Panamadagi village on Sunday.
The police said the arrested persons were identified as B. Ellumalai, 30, T. Appasamy, 20, R. Prasanth, 25, U. Srinivasan, 32, J. Perumal, 28, and K. Vishnu, 18. They belong to tribal hamlets in Jawadhu Hills in Vellore, Tirupattur, and Tirvannamalai districts. They are wood cutters.
Based on information to the Superintendent of Police, N.U. Sivaraman, a police team was conducting surprise vehicle checks in the village, which is located on Tamil Nadu – Andhra Pradesh border.
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