Red sanders logs worth Rs 50L seized, TN-based smuggler held in Chittoor district

TIRUPATI: The police on Monday arrested a Tamil Nadu-based smuggler and seized 28 red sanders logs, worth Rs 50 lakh in the international market at Kottaroddu village of Penumuru mandal in Chittoor district. The arrested person was identified as P. Venkatesan, 29, hailing from Tiruvannamalai district of Tamil Nadu.

Disclosing the case details to the media in Chittoor city on Monday, Deputy SP (law and order) N. Sudhakar Reddy said that Acting on specific inputs about the smuggling of red sanders logs by a three-member gang of TN-based smugglers, district SP Y. Rishanth Reddy had formed special police teams and intensified vehicular checking in the district.

“A special party, led by Chittoor rural east circle-inspector K. Maddaiahchari and sub-inspectors V. Ramakrishna Anil Kumar have conducted vehicular checking at Kottaroddu and intercepted two cars, which were moving suspiciously towards Tamil Nadu. On seeing the police, the inmates in the cars tried to escape. While one smuggler was apprehended, two others fled”, the DSP said.

The police had seized 28 red sanders logs, weighing around 520 kg and worth Rs 50 lakh in the international market. They also seized 2 four-wheelers, worth Rs 20 lakh. A case was registered and a search operation was on to nab the accused who are at large.