PALGHAR: Three persons have been arrested and red sanders wood worth Rs 1.50 crore seized from them.
Nilesh Rajput 32, Sarabjit Pashi, 32 and Sandeep Yadav, 30 were arrested yesterday after Palghar police intercepted a truck loaded with sandalwood at Chinchghar village near here, PI Sanjay Hazare of the Wada police station said today.
The accused have been charged under sections various sections of IPC and the Forest Act of 1927.
The documents produced by the truck driver were fake following which the policemen checked the goods loaded on the vehicle and found that the accused were trying to smuggle sandalwood into neighbouring states, Hazare said.
Also, a manhunt has been launched for 6-7 persons who are allegedly members of this smuggling racket, police added.
Red sanders is protected under the Wildlife Protection Act.