TIRUPATI: In a major haul, Red Sanders Anti Smuggling Task Force (RSASTF) sleuths seized 51 red sanders logs worth about Rs 80 lakh and arrested 27 smugglers, including 20 from Tamil Nadu in two separate combing operations conducted in Annamayya and Kadapa districts on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday.
RSASTF DSP Muralidhar said acting on the orders of Kurnool Range DIG S Senthil Kumar, three task force teams conducted combing operations in the restricted forest area in Annamayya and Tirupati districts from Saturday evening.
In the three combing operations, a task force team seized 19 red sanders logs and a motorbike worth Rs 50 lakh and arrested 20 smugglers from TN.In another operation, two task force teams seized 32 red sanders logs worth Rs 30 lakh and arrested seven smugglers of the State, the DSP added.