TIRUPATI: The Andhra Pradesh Red Sanders Anti-Smuggling Task Force (RSASTF) on Saturday busted an interstate red sanders smuggling racket by seizing 78 red sanders logs worth about Rs 1.5 crore and arresting three persons, including a Forest Beat Officer accused of facilitating the illegal transport of the contraband.
The joint operation by the RSASTF, State Intelligence and Forest Department led to the arrest of Forest Beat Officer Mallikarjun, posted at the Jyothi Forest Beat in Kadapa district, and two alleged interstate smugglers from Haryana.
Acting on specific intelligence, the task force intercepted a Bolero Maxi Truck near Varikuntla village in Avadutha Kasinayana mandal of Kadapa district during the early hours of Saturday.
The smugglers had allegedly concealed the red sanders logs beneath household goods to evade detection.
Officials seized 78 red sanders logs valued at nearly Rs 1.5 crore and the Bolero vehicle used to transport them. Police identified the arrested smugglers as Sunny, 28, and Ramesh, 33, both natives of Rohtak district in Haryana.
During interrogation, investigators allegedly uncovered the involvement of Forest Beat Officer Mallikarjun, who they said provided logistical support and facilitated the movement of the smuggled red sanders logs. Police subsequently arrested him. The preliminary investigation revealed that the syndicate was part of a larger interstate network transporting red sanders from the Seshachalam forests to Karnataka, Haryana and West Bengal.
Police identified several key operatives based in Bengaluru, Haryana and Kolkata who allegedly coordinated the smuggling operations. Special teams have been formed to trace and arrest the remaining accused.
RSASTF Head L Subbarayudu commended the officers involved in the operation and said it had exposed a key interstate smuggling network.
He asserted that the task force would continue taking stringent action against red sanders smugglers, including public servants found colluding with them.
Police said the investigation is continuing to identify the financial beneficiaries and dismantle the entire interstate smuggling network.