Andhra Pradesh: Chittoor police seizes red sandalwood logs worth Rs 3 crore, seven smugglers held

Seven red sandalwood smugglers were arrested by Chittoor police in Andhra Pradesh and logs worth Rs 3 crore were recovered from them. Police seized a total of 89 red sanders logs from the possession of the accused.

In a major breakthrough, Andhra Pradesh police apprehended a gang involved in red sander smuggling in Chittoor district. Chittoor police arrested seven interstate smugglers with three vehicles and seized 89 red sanders logs weighing 2,725 tonnes worth Rs 3 crore.

The accused have been identified as Govindasamy Settu (44), Murugesan (50), Perumal Venkatesh (44), Kariya Raman (27), Kolanjan (36), Venkatesh. R. (37), Govinda rajulu (21), all residents of Tamil Nadu.

Acting on a tip-off, Chittoor Rural west Circle Inspector Srinivasulu Reddy and his team conducted vehicular checks on Chennai-Bangalore national highway. The police team intercepted a speeding vehicle which was heading towards Chennai from Chittoor and apprehended two men along with red sandalwood logs.

According to Govindaswamy Sethu, the chief operator, two other vehicles, a Mahindra XUV and an Ashok Leyland mini-truck, were also seized from the possession of the accused. Five red sandalwood smugglers were nabbed during the search of two other vehicles and valuable wood was also recovered from them.

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A case was registered against them at Gudipala police station after police seized 89 red sandalwood logs worth about Rs 3 crore in three vehicles. Police have now launched a manhunt to four absconding key smugglers from Tamil Nadu and three from Chittoor district. Special police teams have been formed and they are on high alert to nab them at the earliest.

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