KADAPA: Forest and police officials nabbed 18 red sanders woodcutters and a lorry driver and a cleaner in two separate incidents on Sunday. As many as 67 logs were seized from their possession.
According to police, in a special combing operation conducted in the Itukalapadu forest area, a total of 18 red sanders woodcutters were arrested.
The Tamil Nadu-based woodcutters were nabbed with the logs that were being carried from the Seshachalam forest towards Itukalapadu village, said the officials.
As many as 37 logs were seized from the woodcutters in this incident. In the second incident, reported from the Itukalapadu police limits, a lorry driver and a cleaner were arrested for transporting a dump of 30 red sanders logs.
Acting on a tip-off, the police conducted a special raid near the Telugu Ganga canal where they intercepted a vehicle laden with red sanders wood.
On enquiry, it was found that the accused were carrying 30 logs as part of a deal entered into by smugglers whose identity is not known, the police said.
The identities of the woodcutters and the lorry driver and cleaner have not been revealed yet. The 67 logs and the lorry seized would be worth Rs 80 lakh.