As many as 23 persons were arrested on charges of smuggling sand from Palar riverbed in the district since Saturday. The police has also seized a mini-van and 22 bullock carts from them.
According to police, the department has been conducting a drive against smuggling of sand from the riverbed in the district since Friday. They had arrested a total of 27 persons on Friday and seized equal number of bullock carts.
On Saturday, as many as 17 persons were caught for transporting sand illegally. The drive continued for the third consecutive day on Sunday and a total of five persons were arrested on charges of smuggling sand, said the police source.
The revenue department also dug up huge trenches across the approaching path into the riverbed to prevent sand smuggling in several places in the district.