KADAPA: Stringent action would be taken against those involved in red sanders smuggling, said Kadapa Superintendent of Police KKN Anburajan on Saturday. The police has invoked Preventive Detention Act (PD) against inter-State smuggler Chimpathi Lalbasha, a native of Khadarpalli village of Chapadu Mandal in Kadapa district.
The 37--year-old Lalbasha was involved in smuggling activities for the past 10 years and involved in 71 cases across Kadapa, Annamayya and Tirupati districts. Chimpathi Lalbasha was also involved in 85 cases of house breaking in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka since 2003. According to cops, he had entered the contraband trade in 2013. He had formed a gang with his own brothers namely Fakruddin and Jaakeer of his village and began smuggling of red sanders. For this, he established contacts with international and inter-State red sanders smugglers of Tamil Nadu as well as Karnataka.
He would rope in woodcutters from Tamil Nadu to fell logs inside the Seshachalam forests and other reserve forests, which he would then smuggled to other States, from where the red sanders would be exported.
During smuggling, his gang made vain attempts to hit the forest and police officers whenever they tried to curb his smuggling vehicles. Further during the year 2021, he and his gang involved in a murder case reported in Proddatoor rural police limits.
On the recommendation of Superintendent of Police Anburajan, district Collector V Vijayaramaraj issued invoking PD Act on Saturday. Anburajan appreciated efforts made by the police officers for invoking PD Act on the notorious smuggler.
Meanwhile, the forest officials seized 14 red sander logs that were kept for transportation in the forest areas under Lankamala reserve forest.
Siddavatam forest ranger Prasad said that the logs were seized from Rollabodu and Siddavatam beats by two separate teams of forest personnel. From the Rollabodu beat, the officials seized 12 logs while another 14 logs were seized from Siddavatam town. Prasad said that the hunt was on to nab those who were involved in the felling of logs.