KADAPA: The forest officials arrested five inter-State red sanders smugglers and seized 203 red logs worth Rs 1 crore while the precious wood was being transported in a lorry at Kollavaripalle village in Pullampet mandal.
Speaking to the media at Rajampet on Wednesday, DFO Khadar Vali said that on a tip-off, the officials conducted a raid in the area. They stopped a lorry and found 203 red sanders logs weighing 1,650 kg in it. The red logs were concealed under carton boxes, sofa covers and other articles in the lorry.
The DFO said the red sanders logs of fine quality are worth `1 crore in the open market. Three smugglers from Haryana and two local smugglers were arrested in the raid. On seeing the forest officials, seven workers accompanying the lorry fled the scene, the DFO said. Rajampet forest ranger Srinivas was also present at the news conference.