VELLORE: The Vellore police have arrested a gang of eight red sander smugglers and seized 486 kgs of red sander logs. The police have also confiscated nine cars, which had been used for smuggling the logs. The value of the seized logs and car estimated around Rs 25 lakhs.
Acting on a tip-off that a gang was smuggling red sanders, a police team attached to the Katpadi and Vellore Sub-Divisions along with the forest department personnel conducted vehicle checks at various points. One of the teams spotted a gang unloading and loading the logs from two cars to two other cars near the Government Vellore Medical College Hospital in Adukkamparai.
The gang reportedly tried to attack the police team when they tried to arrest them. However, the police team overpowered the gang and arrested four persons. They were later identified as Thanju (25) of Nanjukondapuram, Meganathan (31), Annamalai (25) and Sakthi (29) of Kolathur and confiscated four cars and four red sander logs, said a police statement.
On interrogation, the quartet confessed to their involvement in red sander smuggling. Based on the information given by them, the police also arrested Kalaiarasan (23) and Venkatesan (25) of Kolathur, Sakthivel (30) of Irumbuli and Viswanathan (27) of Walaja Maniyampattai.
The police registered a case against the gang under various sections of IPC. The seized red sander logs and cars were handed over to the forest department.
Sources said that they have intensified the vehicle checks along the border areas to prevent the smuggling of red sander logs.