TIRUPATI: The Red Sanders Anti-Smuggling Task Force (RSASTF) has nabbed an international red wood smuggler as part of its crackdown on smuggling activities in the Seshachalam forest. Under the guidance of Tirupati SP and RSASTF chief L Subbarayudu, RSASTF SP P Srinivas formed special teams to curb the smuggling of red sanders in the Seshachalam forest with an iron hand.
As part of the special operation, Mohammed Muzammil (38) of Mysuru, an international red sanders smuggler involved in several cases, was apprehended at Thanapalli Cross on the Chittoor-Naidupeta Road in Tirupati rural mandal on Saturday.
Police said Muzammil was involved in exporting red sanders logs to China after procuring them from smugglers of Karnataka. He utilised the services of Ravi of Bengaluru to get government permission for export of red sanders by falsely showing the wood was sourced legally. Muzammil was assisted by a Chinese national identified as Jojo.
The role of Michael, the representative of a Chinese company in India, is under scrutiny. Senior police officials appreciated the efforts of RSASTF special teams, and Additional SP J Kulashekhar in arresting the smuggler.