KADAPA: Police on Friday busted interstate red sanders smuggling gang and seized 23 logs weighing 700 kg, which were reportedly meant to be delivered to international smugglers in Bengaluru. Producing the five arrested members of the gang before the media, Superintendent of Police KKN Anburajan said it used to get rand sanders logs from Kadapa and Annamayya districts and deliver them to smugglers based in Bengaluru.
During the arrest, the smugglers tried to pelt stones and attack police personnel with axes. But the attack was repulsed. The gang was smuggling the red wood logs in Toyota Innova and Etios from the forest area in Somasila backwaters in Nandalur mandal of Annamayya district.
The police intercepted the two vehicles at Pendlimarri. The police arrested five smugglers, while others managed to escape. The two vehicles, mobile phones and axes were seized. All the arrested hail from Annamayya district. The gang was led by G Venkatesh (29) of Nandalur, who is now living in Nellore. He got contacts with the main smugglers in Bengaluru, the SP said.
In separate raids, police teams arrested seven ganja smugglers in Proddatur and seized 22.4 kg of contraband and seven mobile phones from them. The arrested included ganja smugglers and local peddlers. Oburai Tulasi (38) of Giddaluru, Rebba Satish (28) and C Pyari (32) of Kadapa, Imam Basha (26), S Tippi Vali (68) and S Srinu of Yerraguntla and S Lakshmaiah (42) of Vallur. Tulasi was the main smuggler, who was supplying ganja to local peddlers, the SP said. The SP said they stepped up surveillance in the district to curb smuggling of red sanders and ganja effectively.