Kadapa police bust red sanders smuggling ring, seize logs worth ₹81 lakh

Kadapa police seized 70 red sanders logs worth ₹81.34 lakh and arrested eight smugglers on Wednesday. The operation began after officers received credible information and set up vehicle checks on Galannuboyina road in S.A. Kasinayana mandal late Tuesday night. At about 6 a.m., police spotted three vehicles – a container, an SUV and a sedan – and moved to stop them. The occupants, carrying axes and stones, attacked the police and tried to flee. Police surrounded the group, apprehended eight men and recovered the logs, while the rest escaped. The seized timber weighed 1.984 tonnes. The total value of the logs and the three vehicles was estimated at ₹1.30 crore. The arrested men were named as Perumal (42), Vellaiyan Srinivasan (43) and Duraisamy Annamalai (46) from the Chinnakalrayan Hills; P. Sakthivel (37) of Pethanaickenpalayam, both in Salem district; Anbazhagan (46) and Suresh (22) from Kaniyambadi, Tiruvannamalai district; Raghu Selvakumar (38) of Jalahalli West, Bengaluru; and driver Chabolu Venkata Kumar (22) of Kambam, Prakasam district. Superintendent of Police Nachiket Vishwanath Shelke inspected the seized items and said the logs had been hidden among 643 cartons of coffee powder. He also reported that five axes and six stones used in the assault were taken. Shelke praised Circle Inspector R.G. Subrahmanyam, Taskforce Inspector Sreeram, Sub‑Inspector A. Vidyasagar and Sub‑Inspector D. Naik for their role.

Context

Red sanders is a protected hardwood often targeted by illegal traders, and police across South India have stepped up raids to curb its smuggling.