BHOPAL: Three persons were arrested in after 15,500 kg of red sandalwood worth around Rs 8 crore was seized in Madhya Pradesh, an official said on Sunday.
“The forest department’s special task force last month seized 15,500 kg of red sandalwood, also known as ‘rakt chandan’, from the possession of two persons, who are natives of Tamil Nadu, at Khalghat toll plaza in Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar district,” an officer said.
Based on the information provided by these two, one more accused was nabbed from Thiruvallur district in Tamil Nadu, he said.
The accused admitted that they brought the consignment from a protected area spread around the hills of Tirupati-Tirumala in Andhra.
This type of sandalwood is in great demand abroad and is can be used for multiple purposes.
(With PTI inputs)