Three held, red sanders worth ₹1.5 crore seized in Tirupati
The Red Sanders Anti-smuggling Task Force arrested three individuals, including a forest beat officer, for smuggling 78 logs of red sanders worth ₹1.5 crore in Tirupati. Authorities are currently investigating the involvement of larger smuggling networks across multiple Indian states.
Why it matters
Red sanders is a highly protected and endangered species; the involvement of a forest official highlights the challenges of corruption in environmental conservation efforts.
The Red Sanders Anti-smuggling Task Force (RSASTF) arrested two inter-State red sanders smugglers and a forest beat officer (FBO) and seized 78 precious logs worth around ₹1.5 crore during a raid in Tirupati district on Saturday.
The accused have been identified as Sunny and Ramesh from Rohtak in Haryana, while Mallikarjunudu was the FBO who allegedly helped them.
Acting on a tip-off, a team comprising the RSASTF and State Intelligence conducted vehicle checks near Jyothi Temple and Varikuntla village in Avadutha Kashinayan mandal of Kadapa district. During the operation, they apprehended Sunny and Ramesh who were smuggling red sanders logs in a container truck under the guise of transporting household goods.
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