HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad city police on Thursday busted an inter-state red sanders smuggling racket and arrested four people. The Task Force sleuths seized 2,500 kg red sander logs, worth Rs1 crore from them. The arrested include N Radha Krishna and K Chandra, both from Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh, N Chennaiah and Ram Sevak Kumar.
Speaking to media, Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar said that Radha Krishna is the kingpin who transported red sanders from Kadapa to the city.
‘“After facing losses in various business ventures, Radha Krishna has decided to smuggle red sanders, taking inspiration from notorious smuggler Gangi Reddy. He met one Chandra, who arranged 2.5 tonnes of red sanders wood from Lankamalla reserve forest for a price of Rs 400 per kg. Immediately, Radha Krishna collected the wood from the forest with the help of his associate, Chandra,’’ the Police Commissioner said.
Wood was hidden under vegetables
After collecting wood from the forest, the accused shifted the wood by hiding it under the cover of vegetables and stored it in the room of Ram Kumar, who is security guard at Ravia Gardens, Pedda Shapur of Rangareddy district. The Task Force sleuths, on a tip-off on Thursday, arrested the accused when they were transporting the logs in a car with fake registration number. The arrested were handed over to Punjagutta police